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Walter  &  Mary  Straub 


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1902. 
G.  B.  HANCOCK. 


G.  B.  HANCOCK. 


Mormon  ism  Exposed. 


JOSEPH    SMITH   AN    IMPOSTOR   AND    THE    BOOK    OF 
MORMON  A  FRAUD. 


(J 
BY  ELDER  Q.  B.  HANCOCK. 


1002 « 
A.  DOQ-GETT,  F*RU»TER. 

-M  AK  ION  VI  I. I.E.      MO. 


To  AU,,  EVERYWHERE,  WHO  LOVE_THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD, 

THIS    BOOK  IS   LOVINGLY  DEDICATED 

BY  IT'S  AUTHOR. 


PREFACE. 

It  is  truly  said,  custom  governs  practice,  fashion  rules  the 
day.  This  is  almost  invariably  true.  It  is  so  common  for  those 
who  write  books  to  open  their  pages  with  a  preface  that  the 
author's  work  would  be  considered  very  incomplete  should  he 
fail  to  write  one  also.  The  preface  is  intended,  as  a  rule,  to 
give  the  reasons  for  the  book's  appearance  and  an  introduction 
to  the  line  of  thought  contained  in  the  book. 

We  had  no  idea  of  writing  a  book  in  order  to  expose  Mor- 
monism  till  after  the  debate  we  held  with  them  at  Fayette  City, 
Pa.  We  had  been  challenged  for  such  debate  many  times  but 
never  could  succeed  in  getting  them  to  discuss  such  proposi- 
tions as  we  were  willing  to  debate.  For  years  we  had  been 
satisfied  that  those  who  had  debated  with  Mormons  had  given 
them  unnecessary  advantage  in  the  way  of  propositions.  They 
invariably  sought  propositions  that  gave  them  opportunity  to 
play  upon  side  issues  and  give  simply  a  rehash  of  matter  that 
they  had  delivered  in  lectures  and  preached  in  sermons  till  they 
had  it  by  heart.  We  determined  that  they  should  not  have  this 
opportunity  in  the  Fayette  City  debate.  Besides  we  felt  that 
if  they  were  taken  from  their  stereotyped  course  of  presenting 
their  doctrines,  they  would  be  utterly  at  a  loss,  and  manifest 
clearly  their  inability  to  sustain  their  system.  Our  conjecture 
proved  to  be  true.  The  proposition  as  we  affirmed  was:  Joseph 
Smith,  the  reputed  prophet  and  the  author  of  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, was  as  imposter  and  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  a  fraud.  It 
took  some  time  to  get  them  to  agree  to  discuss  the  difference  as 
stated  in  our  affirmative.  They  wanted  to  divide  the  burden  of 
proof.  Finally  we  notified  them  that  we  would  be  at  Fayette  City 
the  first  of  March,  1900,  prepared  to  meet  any  Mormon  cham- 


pion  in  debate  that  might  be  selected  by  that  fraternity,  or  in 
case  we  had  no  opponent  we  were  prepared  to  expose  their  sys- 
tem in  a  series  of  lectures.  This  they  could  not  allow.  We 
found  an  opponent  on  the  ground,  but  he  proved  himself  incap- 
able of  grappling  with  systems.  Our  line  of  thought  was  new 
to  all.  It  was  readily  seen  that  the  discussion  was  one  between 
the  Bible'and  the  Book  of  Mormon.  All  that  heard  and  all  that 
have  seen  our  arrangement  of  matter  are  unanimous  in  the  con- 
clusion that  the  interests  of  Truth  demanded  that  we  publish 
what  we  presented  in  that  debate.  To  this  request  we  have 
consented.  Therefore  we  send  this  book  forth,  hoping  that  it 
may  do  much  good,  and  believing  that  it  will  stand  as  a  Gibral- 
tar in  behalf  of  Truth, 

G.  B.  HANCOCK, 
Scholten,  Mo. 


MORMONISM  VIEWED    IN    IT'S 
TRUE    LIGHT. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  AN  IMPOSTER  AND  THE  BOOK  OF  MORMON 
A  FRAUD. 


CHAPTER  ONE. 

The  people  known  as  Mormons,  or  Latter  Day  Saints,  are 
among  the  most  aggressive  religionists  of  the  present  time. 
Their  missionaries  are  to  be  met  with  in  all  parts,  and  manifest 
a  zeal  that  is  certainly  worthy  of  a  better  cause.  We  say 
'  'better  cause, ' '  because  we  feel  their  cause  is  not  good,  and  we  are 
as  conscious  of  our  ability  to  demonstrate  the  truthfulness  of  the 
propositions  embodied  in  our  caption  as  we  are  of  our  ability  to 
move  the  pencil  with  which  we  are  now  writing. 

It  has  been  said  that  knowledge  and  thought  govern  the 
world.  As  to  whether  this  is  true  may  be  a  question,  but  the 
thinking  part  of  humanity  will  agree  that  such  should  be  the 
case.  Religiously,  however,  the  majority  seem  to  move 
without  thought.  It  is  a  fact  that  most  religionists  give  the 
subject  of  religion  but  little  thought,  and  as  a  consequence, 
what  ideas  they  have  are  in  the  main,  second  hand.  Upon  the 
part  of  those  who  think,  and  presume  to  think  for  the  people, 
there  is  but  little  independence  of  mind,  for  they  do  not  allow 
themselves  to  think  outside  of  certain  paths  marked  out  by 
predecessors. 

It  being  conceded  that  man  should  be  governed  by  thought, 
it  should  not  be  a  difficult  matter  to  decide  as  to  whose  thoughts 
should  govern  him.  Thought  designed  for  the  government  of 


man  should  be  such  as  to  tend  wholly  to  the  betterment  of 
man's  estate.  In  order  to  a  proper  conception  of  the  thought 
necessary  in  order  to  the  desired  end,  we  need  to  enquire  for  the 
purpose  of  religion.  The  word  means  "a  binding  back," 
carrying  the  idea  of  reuniting  severed  ties.  Worship  is  designed 
to  bring  the  worshipper  into  conformity  to  the  object  worshipped. 
Thought,  hence,  to  accomplish  the  desired  end,  must  lead  to 
and  give  a  truer  knowledge  of  God.  Man  cannot,  however, 
by  searching,  find  out  God.  Therefore,  no  line  of  finite 
thought  can  answer  the  purpose.  A  knowledge  of  God 
can  not  come  from  man  but  must  come  from  God. 

The  purpose  of  religion  is  an  infinite  one.  The  design  is  to 
prepare  man  for  the  service  of  the  Infinite  Being,  in  the  infinite 
beyond.  If  thought  is  to  govern  man,  in  view  of  the  end 
purposed  in  religion,  it  must  be  infinite  thought,  for  finite  means 
cannot  accomplish  an  infinite  purpose.  In  order  to  the  desired 
end  a  finite  being  can  do  nothing  but  lay  hold  of  infinite 
provisions.  All  the  provisions  from  God  in  man's  behalf,  are 
through  Christ.  He  must,  therefore,  bean  Infinite  Being  or  the 
claims  of  the  Bible  are  not  true. 

God  says  to  man,  "For  my  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts, 
neither  are  your  ways  my  ways,  saith  the  Lord.  For  as  the 
heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  than 
your  ways,  and  my  thoughts  than  your  thoughts."  Isaiah  55: 
8,  9.  If  we  ask,  where  are  the  thoughts  of  the  Almighty  in 
man 's  behalf  to  be  found?  the  answer  is  in  the  context,  and 
assures  us  that  his  thoughts  are  in  the  WORDS  that  he  has 
spoken  to  man. 

Man's  words  give  man's  thoughts,  andean  give  nothing 
beyond.  Therefore  God's  words  alone  can  give  God's  thoughts. 
If  the  glory  of  God  is  involved  in  the  matters  of  religion  his 
thoughts  alone  should  govern  man  in  these  matters.  One  to 
give  to  man  the  thoughts  of  God  must  be  one  that  knows  the 
mind  of  God.  Christ  affirms  that  he  is  the  only  teacher  of  the 
human  family  that  knew  God.  He  is,  hence,  of  these  matters, 
the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the  first  and 
the  last. 

6 


If  God  is  interested  in  the  eternal  welfare  of  the  creature 
man,  and  his  thoughts  are  essential  in  order  to  that  welfare,  it 
is  reasonable  that  he  should  not  only  reveal  those  thoughts,  but 
also  guard  them  against  perversion.  This  we  find  he  purposed 
to  do.  To  the  Jews  he  said.  "Ye  shall  not  add  unto  the  word 
which  I  command  you,  neither  shall  ye  diminish  aught 
from  it,  that  ye  may  keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  your 
God  which  I  command  you. "  Deut.  4:  2.  Again,  "What  thing 
soever  I  command  you,  observe  to  do  it;  thou  shalt  not  add 
thereto,  nor  diminish  from  it."  Deut.  12:  32.  These 
prohibitions  are  repeated  in  the  New  Testament,  with  the 
assurance  that  the  anathamas  of  heaven  will  rest  upon  all  who 
disregard  them. 

The  thoughts  of  God  could  not  be  known  but  by  revelation, 
and  this  revelation  could  not  be  but  by  the  inspiration  of  the 
Almighty.  Therefore,  the  inspiration  essential  in  order  to  the 
desired  end  was  afforded  and  no  more.  As  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  eternal  interests  of  humanity  were  involved  in  these 
matters,  man  could  not  decide  as  to  the  amount  of  revelation 
required.  The  will  of  man,  hence,  never  governed  the  acftion 
of  inspiration;  or,  in  other  words,  no  inspiration  was  ever 
afforded  at  the  mere  suggestion  of  man.  We  are  assured  that 
no  prophecy  ever  came  at  any  time  by  the  will  of  man,  but  holy 
men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
II.  Peter  i:  20,  21.  As  to  the  purpose  or  extent  of  his  working 
God  never  counseled  man,  but  worketh  all  things  after  the 
counsel  of  his  own  will.  Eph.  i:  n.  If  wye  can  ascertain  the 
decision  of  God  as  to  the  amount  of  inspiration  and  revelation 
essential  in  order  to  the  desired  end  it  will  be  satisfactory  to  all 
who  desire  simply  the  truth. 

There  are  different  books  that  claim  to  exist  by  virtue  of 
inspiration,  and  claim,  hence,  to  be  revelations  from  God.  By 
way  of  introduction  to  a  proper  course  of  inquiry,  we  place 
certain  of  these  books  before  us.  First,  we  take  the  book  called 
the  Bible.  If  the  claims  of  this  book  to  inspiration  cannot  be 
sustained,  no  other  book  need  put  up  such  claim.  The  Bible  is 


composed  of  two  parts,  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  If  we  ask, 
What  do  we  have  when  we  have  the  Old  Testament?  the  answer 
is,  We  have  Moses  and  the  prophets.  In  the  New  Testament 
we  have  Jesus  and  his  apostles.  These  two  books,  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  are  a  unit.  They  were  both  essential  in  order 
to  the  end  in  view,  the  eternal  interests  of  man.  In  the  first 
the  mind  of  man  was  directed  forward,  in  expectation  of  the 
second.  In  the  first  they  were  taught  to  expect  perfection  in  the 
second.  The  two,  hence,  make  one  book.  When  the  disciples 
accepted  Jesus  they  could  truthfully  say,  "We  have  found  him 
of  whom  Moses  in  the  law  and  the  prophets  did  write. " 

We  have  before  us  another  book  that  claims  to  exist  by 
virtue  of  inspiration  from  God.  It  is  called  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
What  have  we  in  it?  WHAT  PURPOSE  DOES  IT  ANSWER  IN  THE 
ECONOMY  OF  HEAVEN?  Inspiration,  as  we  have  seen,  is  not  at 
the  option  of  man  but  governed  wholly  by  the  will  of  God.  If 
the  Book  of  Mormon  be  an  inspired  production  there  must  be  a 
purpose  in  the  economy  of  grace  that  it  was  designed  to 
accomplish — a  purpose  above  and  beyond  what  could  be 
accomplished  by  the  inspiration  afforded  Christ  and  the  apostle! 

The  working  of  inspiration  and  revelation  was  in  order  to 
God's  glory  and  man's  eternal  interest.  If  the  Book  of  Mormon 
answers  no  specific  purpose  in  order  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
eternal  interests  of  humanity  the  propositions,  embodied  in  the 
heading  under  which  we  write  are  true,  incontrovertibly  true. 
IP  THE  BOOK  OF  MORMON  ANSWERS  ANY  PURPOSE  IN  THE  DIVINE 
ECONOMY,  IT  MUST  CONNECT  AT  SOME  POINT  WITH  THE  BlBLE, 
AND  AT  THAT  POINT  THERE  MUST  BE  AN  INCOMPLETENESS,  A 
VACUUM,  THAT  COULD  NOT  HAVE  BEEN  FILLED  .  WITHOUT  ITS 
APPEARANCE.  If  there  be  such  point  it  must  be  found  in  the 
New  Testament,  for  there  is  not  a  prophecy,  an  allegory  or  type 
in  the  Old  Testament,  that  directs  the  mind  of  man  beyond  what 
we  have  in  Christ.  The  purpose  of  the  inspiration  and 
revelation  that  gave  the  Old  Testament  was  reached  in  its 
fulness,  by  the  bringing  in  of  the  hope  that  is  afforded  in  Christ 
Jesus.  "On  the  one  hand,  an  old  commandment  is  annulled, 

8 


because  it  was  weak  and  profitless  (for  the  law  perfected  nothing) 
and  on  the  other  hand,  a  better  hope  is  brought  in  whereby  we 
draw  near  unto  God."  Heb.  7:  18,  19.  Conybeare.  When 
this  better  hope  was  brought  in  the  full  purpose  of  the  Jewish 
economy  was  reached.  Where  in  the  New  Testament  economy, 
the  economy  that  has  the  provisions  for  that  better  hope,  is 

THERE  A  VACUUM   TO  BE    FILLED   BY     A     PRODUCTION     THROUGH 

JOSEPH  SMITH?     Echo  answers — where  ! 

It  is  now,  we  think,  at  this  early  stage  in  our  investigation, 
perceptible  to  our  readers,  that  in  meeting  the  claims  of 
Mormonism  our  task  is  simply  to  defend  the  claims  of  the  Bible. 
We  now  and  here  unhesitating!}^  affirm,  If  the  claims  of 
Mormonism  be  true,  the  claims  of  the  Bible  are  false.  The 
truthfulness  of  this  will  appear  as  we  proceed  with  our 
investigation. 


CHAPTER  TWO. 

A  proper  view  of  the  development  of  the  remedial  system 
will  give  us  the  decision  of  the  Almighty  as  to  the  amount  of 
revelation  essential  in  order  to  the  one  great  purpose  regarding 
the  human  family.  Time  was  divided  into  three  periods  called 
dispensations.  These  are  known  as  the  Patriarchal,  the  Jewish, 
and  the  Christian.  These  have  been  beautifully  represented  as 
the  starlight  period,  the  moonlight  period,  and  the  daylight 
period  of  Christianity.  During  the  first  period  of  time,  a  period 
of  darkness,  because  of  the  exceeding  corruptness  of  the  race, 
a  man  would  appear  here  and  there,  who  would  shine  as  a 
bright  star  in  the  moral  heavens.  Of  these  we  may  mention 
Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham,  Melchisedec  and  Job.  This  period  was 
divided  into  two  parts,  the  antediluvian  and  the  postdiluvian. 
Yet  the  two  constituted  one  period.  This  period  continued  till 
the  giving  of  the  law  of  Moses,  hence,  till  the  establishing  of 
the  first  covenant  in  the  development  of  the  remedial  system. 
With  the  establishing  of  that  covenant  a  new  and  superior 
period  was  ushered  in.  The  patriarchs  had  now  as  it 


were,  surrendered  their  commission  at  the  feet  of 
Moses,  the  mediator  of  that  covenant.  The  theocracy  that  was 
established  with  the  giving  of  the  law  continued  till  the  time 
was  at  hand  for  the  ushering  in  of  the  period  known  as  "The 
fulness  of  times," — the  establishing  of  the  new,  the  everlasting 
covenant.  When  this  covenant  was  to  be  established  Moses  and 
the  prophets  surrendered  their  commission  at  the  feet  of  Jesus. 
From  that  time  the  command  from  God  is  Hear  My  Son. 

Revelation  was  progressive,  never  retrogressive.  The  inferior 
surrendered  to  and  was  followed  by  the  superior.  Mormons 
claim  that  a  new  development  was  made  through  Joseph  Smith; 
hence  that  with  him  a  new  period  began.  This  being  so  it  must 
be  a  progressive,  a  superior  one.  This  being  true  God's  will 
did  not  reach  it's  perfection  in  Christ.  There  are  no  retrogressive 
steps  in  inspiration  neither  does  it  do  any  work  of  supererogation. 
Can  it  be  that  God  had  something  in  reservation  for  man,  to  be 
made  known  through  Joseph  Smith,  that  was  to  be  superior  to 
what  he  gave  through  his  Son?  Is  Mormonism  superior  to 
Christianity,  and  Joseph  Smith  above  Jesus  Christ?  Such  are 
the  legitimate  and  blasphemous  claims  of  this  modernism!  ! 
For  a  revelation  that  had  no  superior  claims  over  a  former  one, 
and  that  had  no  advantages  over  what  had  preceded  it,  no 
excuse  could  be  given.  Therefore,  if  with  the  appearing  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon  a  new  period  was  to  be  ushered  in,  giving  new 
advantages,  advantages  superior  to  any  through  previous 
revelations;  then  it  follows,  necessarily,  that  Jesus  must 
surrender  his  commission  at  the  feet  of  Smith!  Was  it 
for  such  purpose  that  God  brought  His  Son  to  earth  and 
introduced  him  to  Smith? 

That  the  Book  of  Mormon  claims  to  be  above  the  Bible  is 
shown  by  the  following: 

"Wherefore,  thou  seest  that  after  the  book  [that  is,  the 
Bible]  hath  gone  forth  through  the  hands  of  the  great  and 
abominable  church  [the  church  of  Rome]  that  there  are  many 
plain  and  precious  things  taken  away  from  the  book,  which  is 
the  book  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  and  these  plain  and  precious 
things  were  taken  away,  it  goeth  forth  unto  all  the  nations  of 

10 


Gentiles,  yea,  even  across  the  many  waters  which  thou  hast 
seen  with  the  Gentiles  which  have  gone  forth  out  oi  captivity 
[that  is,  the  Protestants];  thou  seest  because  of  the  many  plain 
and  precious  things  which  have  been  taken  out  of  the  book, 
which  were  plain  unto  the  understanding  of  the  children  of  men, 
according  to  the  plainness  which  is  in  the  Lamb  of  God;  because 
of  these  things  \vhich  are  taken  away  out  of  the  Gospel  of  the 
Lamb,  an  exceeding  great  many  do  stumble,  yea,  insomuch  that 
Satan  hath  great  power  over  them." — B.  OF  M.  p.  22;  119. 

[NOTE.— All  the  quotations  from  the  Book  of  Mormon  found  In   this 
book,  are  found  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  as  published  at  Lamoni,  Iowa. 

From  this  we  learn  that  the  Bible  is  not  the  Book  of  God  ! 
No,  it's  just  a  skeleton,  minus  all  the  essentials  of  life  !  The 
many  PLAIN  and  PRECIOUS  things  of  the  gospel  are  not  in  the 
Bible  !  It  is  just  as  good  a  thing  as  the  devil  wants;  for  it  being 
destitute  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  it  is  minus  the  power  of  God 
for  salvation.  Therefore,  without  the  appearing  of  Joseph 
Smith  none  could  be  saved.  When  we  challenge  Mormon 
leaders  to  specif}'  a  single  item  in  the  gospel  of  Christ  that  is 
not  in  the  New  Testament  the}'  are  mum.  We  will  see  how 
completely  Mormonism  breaks  its  own  neck  at  this  point. 
Mormons  admit  that  the  new  Testament  is  an  inspired  book. 
It  claims,  however  to  contain  the  fulness  of  the  gospel.  Its 
claims  in  this  are  false.  Therefore,  the  New  Testament  is  an 
inspired  falsehood  !  The  fact  is,  the  statement  concerning  the 
Bible  in  the  quotation  we  gave  is  as  base  a  falsehood  as  was  ever . 
uttered.  This  is  strong  language.  But  we  have  a  severe  case, 
and  strong  medicine  is  needed.  The  statement  concerning  the 
Bible  as  made  in  the  quotation  made  from  the  Book  of  Mormon 
gives,  in  substance,  an  old  infidel  objection  to  the  Bible  that 
had  been  made  many,  very  many  years  before  Joe  Smith  was 
born.  We  will  now  and  here  give  it  the  needed  attention.  We 
give  this  objection  as  presented  in  the  language  of  Orson  Pratt. 
He  says: 

"The  gathering  together  of  the  few  scattered  manuscripts 
which  compose  what  is  termed  the  Bible  was  the  work  of 
uninspired  men,  which  took  place  centuries  after  John  had 
finished  his  manuscript.  Among  the  vast  number  of  professedly 
inspired  manuscripts,  scattered  through  the  world,  man,  poor 

ii 


weak,  ignorant  man,  assumed  the  authority  to  select  a  few, 
which,  according  to  his  frail  judgment,  he  believed  or 
conjected  were  of  God;  but  the  balance  not  agreeing,  perhaps, 
with  his  peculiar  notion  of  divine  inspiration,  were  rejected  as 
spurious.  The  few  selected  from  the  abundance  were  finally 
arranged  into  one  volume,  divided  into  chapter  and  verse,  and 
named  the  Bible. ' ' 

Again: 

"How  does  the  Protestant  world  know  that  the  compilers  of 
the  Bible,  in  hunting  up  the  sacred  manuscripts  which  were 
widely  scattered  over  the  world,  one  in  one  place,  and  another 
in  another,  found  all  that  were  of  divine  origin?  How  do  they 
know  that  the  compilers  of  the  Bible  found  even  the  one 
hundredth  part  of  the  manuscripts  that  were  sacred  ?"— "Divine 
Authenticity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon."  p.  130. 

As  Orson  Pratt  was  one  of  Smith's  chosen  apostles  his 
utterances  show  the  true  spirit  of  Mormon  inspiration.  Why 
should  Mormons  make  such  attacks  upon  the  Bible  ?  The 
answer  is,  Unless  the  Bible  can  be  brought  into  disrepute  there 
can  be  no  room  for  the  Book  of  Mormon.  We  will  first  see  what 
foundation  there  is  for  such  infidel  attacks  upon  the  Old 
Testament.  In  the  days  of  Christ  and  the  apostles  that  book 
existed  in  two  languages.  The  Hebrew  and  the  Greek.  We 
have  a  copy  of  the  Septuagint  version.  It  was  a  translation 
from  the  Hebrew,  made  in  Alexandria,  Egypt,  about  200  years 
before  Christ.  It  contains  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  from 
Genesis  to  Malachi.  This  shows  that  the  Hebrew  version 
contained  the  same.  Christ  and  his  apostles  used  them,  and 
endorsed  them  as  the  word  of  God.  They  were  such,  or  Christ 
and  his  apostles  were  false  teachers.  In  this  we  have  the 
inspiration  of  Jesus,  versus  Mormon  inspiration.  They  cannot 
both  be  true. 

"Suppose  a  merchant  in  San  Francisco  receive  a  large  order 
from  a  firm  in  Liverpool  for  several  cargoes  of  wheat.  He  goes 
to  the  Merchant's  Intelligence  Office  and  satisfies  himself  that 
the  Liverpool  house  is  perfectly  solvent.  But  he  has  never  had 
any  correspondence  with  that  house  before,  and  so  does  not 
certainly  know  that  the  signature  is  genuine.  Just  then  one  of 
his  neighbors  whom  he  knows  to  be  a  true  man,  and  who  has 

12 


recently  returned  from  England,  steps  in  with  a  strange 
gentleman,  and  introduces  him  as  a  son  of  the  senior  partner, 
and  himself  a  member  .of  the  firm.  The  San  Francisco  merchant 
shows  the  letter  to  the  young  Englishman .  • '  Yes! ' '  he  says  '  'that 
is  all  right;  that  is  my  father's  signature. "  Then  he  proceeds  to 
explain  the  letter.  There  is  no  longer  an\-  doubt  or  delay  in 
filling  the  order.  NOWT,  can  we  authenticate  the  Bible  in  an}' 
such  way  ?  We  CAN  authenticate  the  Bible  in  this  very  way. 
The  Son  of  God,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  has  visited  our  world  as 
the  Word  of  God,  ON  THIS  VERY  BUSINESS,  to  declare  God's 
Word  to  us.  He  has  read  the  Bible  carefully,  as  much  of  it  as 
was  then  written,  and  he  has  directed  the  writing  of  the 
remainder.  He  has  given  us  his  opinion  of  it  repeatedly  in 
direct  statements;  has  quoted  many  passages  from  it  and 
explained  them,  and  exposed  and  reprobated  the  additions  which 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees  would  have  made  to  the  Bible  by  their 
traditions.  We  can  trust  the  testimony  of  Jesus  unhesitatingly. 
All  Christians  acknowledge  Him  as  the  Truth,  and  no  infidel 
has  dared  to  charge  Him  with  falsehood." — "The  Testimony  of 
Christ  to  the  Truth  of  the  Old  Testament, "  by  Robert  Patterson. 

Touching  the  authenticity  of  the  New  Testament,  we  give 
the  following: 

"I  was  dining  some  time  ago  with  a  literary  party  at  old 
Mr.  Abercrombie's,  father  of  General  Abercrombie,  who  was 
slain  in  Egypt  at  the  head  of  the  British  army,  and  spending 
the  evening  together.  A  gentleman  present  put  a  question 
which  puzzled  the  whole  company.  It  was  this:  Supposing  all 
the  New  Testaments  in  the  world  had  been  destroyed  at  the 
end  of  the  third  century,  could  their  contents  have  been 
recovered  from  the  writings  of  the  first  three  centuries  ?  ' '  The 
question  was  novel  to  all,  and  no  one  even  hazarded  a  guess  in 
answer  to  the  inquiry.  About  two  months  after  this  meeting,  I 
received  a  note  from  Lord  Hailes  inviting  me  to  breakfast  writh 
him  next  morning.  He  had  been  one  of  the  party.  During 
breakfast  he  asked  me  if  I  recollected  the  curious  question 
about  the  possibility  of  recovering  the  contents  of  the  New 
Testament  from  the  writings  of  the  first  three  centuries.  'I 
remember  it  well, '  said  I,  'and  have  thought  of  it  often,  without 
being  able  to  form  any  opinion  or  conjecture  on  the  subject. ' 
'Well,'  said  Lord  Hailes,  'that  question  quite  accorded  with  the 
turn  or  taste  of  my  antiquarian  mind.  On  returning  home,  as 
I  knew  I  had  all  the  writings  of  those  centuries,  I  began 
immediately  to  collect  them,  that  I  might  set  to  work  on  the 

13 


arduous  tatk  as  soon  as  possible. '  Pointing  to  a  table,  covered 
with  papers,  he  said,  'There  have  I  been  busy  for  these  two 
months,  searching  for  chapters,  half  chapters,  and  sentences  of 
the  New  Testament,  and  have  marked  down  what  I  have  found, 
and  where  I  have  found  it,  so  that  any  person  may  examine  and 
see  for  himself.  I  have  actually  discovered  the  whole  New 
Testament  from  those  writings  except  seven  (or  eleven)  verses, 
(I  forget  which)  which  satisfied  me  that  I  could  discover  them 
also. '  'Now, '  said  he,  'here  was  a  way  in  which  God  concealed 
or  hid  the  treasure  of  His  Word,  that  Julian,  the  apostate 
emperor,  and  other  enemies  of  Christ  who  tried  to  extirpate  the 
gospels  from  the  world,  never  would  have  thought  of;  and 
though  they  had  they  never  could  have  effected  their  destruction . ' 
The  labor  of  effecting  this  feat  must  have  been  immense;  for  the 
Gospels  and  Epistles  would  not  be  divided  into  chapters  and 
verses  as  they  are  now.  Much  must  have  been  effected  by  help 
of  a  concordance.  And  having  been  a  judge  for  many  years,  a 
habit  of  minute  investigation  must  have  been  formed  in  his 
mind.  The  facilities  for  investigating  this  question  are  ample 
and  easily  accessible  to  any  intelligent  student.  The  Ante- 
Nicene  Library,  published  by  T.  and  T.  Clark,  of  Edinburg, 
comprises  some  twenty-four  octavo  volumes,  averaging  about 
five  hundred  pages  each.  In  these  twelve  thousand  octavo 
pages  of  printed  matter  are  comprised  nearly  all  the  extant 
writings  of  some  fifteen  or  twenty  of  the  most  eminent  Christian 
authors  who  lived  before  the  year  A.  D.  325,  when  the  council 
of  Nice  was  convened.  One  of  the  volumes  also  contains  such 
remains  of  those  spurious,  uncanonical  and  ficticious  gospels, 
Acts,  etc.,  as  have  come  down  to  us  from  early  ages.  In  these 
twelve  thousand  pages,  all  of  which  are  accessible  to  skeptics  in 
English  translations,  which  can  be  compared  with  the  originals 
by  those  who  are  competent  to  do  so,  will  be  found  an 
overwhelming  avalanche  of  evidence  upon  the  question  of  the 
origin  of  the  New  Testament  Scriptures.  These  men,  some  of 
whom  were  contemporary  with  the  apostles,  and  others  who,  as 
their  immediate  successors,  were  well  acquainted  with  their 
associates  and  contemporaries,  give  in  these  writings  the  most 
positive  and  unmistakable  evidence  as  to  the  New  Testament 
books  which  they  received,  and  as  to  the  estimation  in  which 
those  books  were  held.  They  quote  passage  after  passage,  and 
page  after  page,  of  the  same  Scriptures  that  are  quoted  today 
and  read  in  every  Christian  assembly.  They  quoted  the  books 
which  we  quote;  they  quoted  them  as  we  quote  them;  they 
received  them  as  we  receive  them;  and  this  long  before  the 


Council  of  Nice  or  any  other  council  had  anything  to  say  about 
the  canon  of  the  Scriptures." — Who  made  the  New  Testament, 
by  Hastings. 

Such  is  a  mere  inkling  of  what  might  be  given.  This, 
however,  shows  the  statement  of  Orson  Pratt  to  be  utterly  false. 
God  save  the  people  from  a  system  of  religion  that  demands  an 
infidel  stand  in  order  to  find  a  plea  for  its  existence. 


CHAPTER  THREE. 

As  we  have  heard  something  of  the  deficiency,  uncertainty 
and  incompleteness  of  the  Bible,  first  from  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
and  second  from  the  chief  apostle  of  original  Mormonism,  we 
will  now  hear  something  from  the  chief  apostle  of  the  reorganized 
branch  of  the  Mormon  family.  Mr.  Kelly,  who,  of  course,  like 
Mr.  Pratt  and  the  Book  of  Mormon,  speaks  with  the  infallibility 
of  Mormon  inspiration.  Mr.  Kelly  would  tell  all  how  infallibly 
to  identify  the  true  church.  He  says: 

"To  avoid  imposition  in  finance,  there  is  put  in  circulation 
a  money  test,  by  which  the  holder  of  money  is  enabled  to 
determine  whether  there  is  tendered  to  him  a  true  or  false  coin. 
When  every  mark  or  figure  on  a  coin  or  bill  tendered  in 
exchange  harmonizes  with  the  detector,  it  is  pronounced  good 
money.  But  if  there  is  anything  found  on  the  coin  or  in  the 
bill,  not  to  be  found  in  the  detector,  or  if  there  is  something 
left  out  of  the  coin  or  bill  that  is  found  in  the  detector,  it  is 
rejected  as  spurious.  The  New  Testament  contains  the  history 
of  the  formation  of  the  primitive  church;  hence  it  is  the  test  or 
detector  by  which  all  church  organizations,  claiming  to  be  the 
true,  are  to  be  tried.  " 

We  now  have  a  medley  in  Mormon  inspiration  ! 

1.  "The  New  Testament  is  an  unreliable  production,  for  it  is 
composed  of  writings  gathered  by   uninspired  men,  who    just 
selected  them  because  they  suited  their  notion   of   inspiration. 
No  one   can   know  that   the  writings   of  which  it  is  composed 
were  inspired  productions. — Pratt. 

2.  The   New   Testament   does  not  contain  the  many  plain 
and  precious  parts  of  the  gospel. — Book  of  Mormon. 

3.  The  New  Testament   was   given   by  the  government  of 

15 


Heaven.     It  is  an  infallible  test  or  detector,  by  which  theological 
systems,  creeds  and  churches  are  to  be  tried. — Kelley. 

I  wonder  how  long  it  would  take  Mormon  apostles  to 
reconcile  these  statements  of  Mormon  inspiration?  Mr.  Kelley 
would  evidently  tell  us  that  he  does  not  endorse  Mr.  Pratt.  Mr. 
Pratt,  however,  is  with  the  Book  of  Mormon.  If  he  rejects  the 
one  he  must  reject  the  other.  Let  us  try  Mr.  Kelley 's  logic: 

1 .  The  New  Testament  is   an  infallible   detector.     All    in 
theological  matters  that  it  leaves  out  is  spurious. 

2.  But  the  New  Testament  leaves  out  intoto   the  Mormon 
system. 

3.  Therefore,  the  Mormon  system  is  intoto  spurious. 

As  the  New  Testament,  according  to  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
is  void,  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  where  are  we  to  find  that 
Gospel? 

"For  behold,  saith  the  Lamb,  I  will  manifest  myself  unto 
thy  seed  [that  is,  the  Nephites]  that  they  shall  write  many 
things  which  I  shall  minister  unto  them,  which  shall  be  plain 
and  precious;  and  after  thy  seed  shall  be  destroyed  and  dwindle 
in  unbelief,  and  also  the  seed  of  thy  brethren;  behold,  these 
things  shall  be  hid  up,  to  come  forth  unto  the  Gentiles  by  the 
gift  and  power  of  the  Lamb;  and  in  them  shall  be  written  my 
gospel,  saith  the  Lamb,  and  my  rocl$  and  my  salvation. " — B.  of 
M.  pages  22,  23  and  123.  ./  M.jtfakt  -/3  »  d  4>~  $  fa , 

The  quotations  made  from  the  Book  of  Mormon  being 
true,  the  Bible  is  false  and  the  wise  course  would  be  to  throw 
the  Bible  away  and  hold  to  the  Book  of  Mormon.  If  the  Bible 
be  void  the  PLAIN  and  PRECIOUS  parts  of  the  gospel  its  claims 
are  not  true.  The  two  books  can  never  be  reconciled.  If  the 
one  be  true,  the  other  is  false. 

Orson  Pratt,  speaking  of  course  by  the  genuine  inspiration 
of  original  Mormonism,  says: 

'  'The  nature  of  the  message  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  such 
that,  if  true,  no  one  can  possibly  be  saved  and  reject  it,  if  false 
no  one  can  possibly  be  saved  and  receive  it." — Divine 
Authenticity,  p.  124. 

This  gives  us  the  whole  thing  in  a  nutshell.  If  the  Bible  be 
true  the  Mormons  are  doomed  to  damnation.  On  the  other 

16 


hand,  if  the  Book  of  Mormon  be  true  all  who  reject  it  and  hold 
to  the  Bible  are  doomed. 

From  a  Mormon  standpoint,  one  may  believe  the  Bible, 
obey  its  commands  and  trust  its  promises,  but  it  will  be  of  no 
avail  without  the  saving  power  of  the  gospel  of  Mormonism  ! 
In  harmony  with  this  we  have  the  following  from  Joe  Smith: 

"I  told  the  brethren  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  the  most 
correct  .of  any  book  on  earth,  and  the  keystone  of  our  religion, 
and  a  man  would  get  nearer  to  God  by  abiding  by  its  precepts 
than  by  any  other  book." — Compendium,  p.  273. 

The  fact  is,  from  a  Mormon  standpoint,  Joe  Smith  and  the 
book  of  Mormon  are  above  Jesut  Christ  and  the  New  Testament! 

This  matter  of  inspiration  needs  to  be  closely  studied.  We 
invite  strict  attention  to  the  following:  There  are  two  sources 
of  inspiration  in  matters  religious.  The  one  is  in  order  to  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  man.  The  other  is  designed 
to  thwart  the  purpose  of  God,  and  so  prevent  the  salvation  of 
man.  Therefore,  two  minds  have  figured  in  the  history  of  man, 
and  two  wisdoms  have  been  brought  to  bear  upon  man.  Upon 
the  one  hand  God  is  represented,  and  the  inspiration  from  him 
gives  his  counsel  in  order  to  man's  eternal  welfare.  The 
wisdom  in  this  counsel  being  from  above  is  "first  pure,  then 
peacable,  gentle  and  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good 
fruits,  without  partiality,  and  without  hipocrisy. "  The  other 
wisdom  is  from  beneath,  and  is  earthly,  sensual,  devilish.  It  is 
the  source  of  strife,  envying,  confusion,  and  every'  evil  work. 
This  wisdom  leads  from  the  counsel  of  God.  By  the  wisdom 
from  above  we  have  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ.  By  the  wisdom 
that  is  from  beneath  we  have  the  doctrines  of  men  and  devils. 
No  one  knows  the  mind  of  God  save  the  Spirit  of  God. 
Therefore,  no  one  could  know  the  doctrine  of  God  but  by  the 
inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  never  gave  any  doctrine  except  the  doctrine  of  Jesus 
Christ.  In  this  the  Father,  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are  one. 
They  agree  in  one  testimony — the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Therefore,  he  who  has  the  doctrine  of  Christ  has  both  the  Father 

17 


and  the  Son.  By  virtue  of  the  inspiration  from  the  infernal 
regions  we  have  all  other  systems  of  doctrines. 

The  first  that  the  wisdom  from  beneath  was  brought  to  bear 
upon  man,  was  when,  through  the  agency  of  the  serpent,  man 
in  Eden  was  led  to  transgress  the  command  of  God.  If  any  be 
deceived  by  this  wisdom  it  must  be  a  matter  of  choice,  for  God 
has  provided  a  safeguard  for  all  that  wrill  trust  in  Him,  having 
carefully  marked  the  bounds  of  Divine  inspiration  and  revelation. 

The  fall  of  man  called  for  the  remedial  system.  And  in  the 
development  of  that  system  two  covenants  were  established,  and 
in  the  development  of  the  two  covenants  that  that  was  essential 
in  order  to  enable1  man  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  life  was  placed 
within  his  reach.  If  we  accept  Jesus  as  the  one  great  teacher 
for  the  human  family — the  one  to  guide  man  in  the  way  of 
eternal  life,  the  question  as  to  the  extent  of  the  work  of 
inspiration  and  revelation  in  order  to  the  desired  end  will  be 
easily  settled.  Jesus  says,  "And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
might  know  thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom 
thou  hast  sent. ' ' — John  17:  3.  This  statement  is  true  or  the  idea 
of  inspiration  and  revelation  from  God  is  a  delusion.  It  being 
true  a  knowledge  of  the  one  true  God,  and  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
condition  of  eternal  life.  Therefore  the  work  of  inspiration  and 
revelation  was  solely  for  the  purpose  of  placing  the  necessary 
knowledge  within  the  reach  of  man.  This  being  done  the 
limitation  of  inspiration  and  revelation  was  reached,  for  to  go 
beyond  that  would  be  a  work  of  supererogation,  a  work  that  God 
never  does. 

In  order  to  the  possession  of  the  required  knowledge  by 
man,  two  grand  demonstrations  were  necessary. 

1.  The  unity  of  the  Godhead  must  be  established. 

2.  The  claims  of  Jesus  must  be  vindicated. 

In  the  Jewish  Scriptures  the  first  demonstration  is  given, 
and  they  all  being  essential  to  one  great  purpose  they  are  all 
counted  as  one  book,  the  Old  Testament. — DIATHEKE,  covenant. 

In  that  book  the  proposition  that  the  God  of  Abraham,  of 
Isaac  and  of  Jacob  is  the  one  true  and  living  God  is  proven. 

18 


The  revelation  necessary  to  afford  man  this  knowledge  is 
contained  in  the  Old  Testament.  That  special  inspiration  and 
revelations  were  granted  individuals  for  specific  purposes  during 
the  period  covered  by  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament  will  not 
be  denied.  They,  how-ever,  not  being  essential  to  the  purpose 
of  that  Book,  were  not  preserved.  The  periods  covered  by  the 
books  of  the  Old  Testament  were  preparatory  periods,  and  the 
demonstration  given  in  that  Book  was  preparatory  to  a  second 
demonstration,  which  was  to  bring  to  humanity  the  full  purpose 
of  God,  and  so  place  within  the  reach  of  man  the  knowledge 
essential  to  the  end  in  view-.  The  first  demonstration  could  not 
reach  its  fulness — could  not  answer  the  purpose  in  view  till  the 
second  should  be  given.  Hence  inspiration  and  revelation  was 
to  reach  its  perfection  and  accomplish  its  full  purpose  in  Christ 
Jesus.  It  is  therefore,  that,  of  inspiration  and  revelation,  Christ 
is  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last,  the  beginning 
and  the  end.  It  is  universally  admitted  that  Christ  was 
the  first,  but  people  have  arisen  at  different  times  denying  that 
he  is  the  last.  There  is  hence,  a  square  issue  before  us;  for  if  it 
be  so  that  inspiration  and  revelation  did  not  reach  its  perfection 
in  and  end  with  Christ,  the  teaching  of  the  Bible  cannot  be  true. 
If  we  accept  the  statement  of  Christ  that  a  knowledge  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son  was  all  that  was  necessary  in  order  to  the 
desired  end,  we  accept,  necessarly,  the  conclusion  that  with  the 
perfection  of  that  knowledge,  the  work  of  inspiration  and 
revelation  ceased.  If  Christ  did  not  reveal  the  Father;  and  if 
the  New  Testament  does  not  properly  present  Christ  as  the 
Savoir  of  Man,  we  will  have  to  surrender  the  claims  of  the  Bible. 
Surely  no  one  thinking  aright  would  contend  that  inspiration 
and  revelation  beyond  the  purpose  of  God  were  ever  vouchsafed 
to  any  man.  Neither  God's  glory  nor  man's  eternal  interest  is 
involved  in  anything  beyond  the  eternal  purpose  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus. 


CHAPTER  FOUR. 

As  previously  said,  the  inspiration  and  revelation  afforded 
in  order  to  the  development  'of  the  old  covenant,  while  it  gave 
the  proposed  demonstration,  could  not  afford  the  necessary 
knowledge  of  God.  The  apostle  says,  "For  if  that  first  covenant 
had  been  faultless,  then  should  no  place  have  been  sought 
for  the  second. " — Heb.  8:  7.  The  first  covenant  being  faulty 
from  the  fact  that  the  inspiration  and  revelation  necessary  to 
the  fulness  of  its  purpose  did  not  give  the  required  knowledge, 
there  was  a  demand  for  a  second — a  demand,  hence,  for 
inspiration  and  revelation  in  order  to  the  full  development  of  the 
second.  Therefore,  "Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord, 
that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and 
with. the  house  of  Judah;  not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I 
made  with  their  fathers  in  the  day  that  I  took  them  by  the 
hand  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt;  which  my  covenant 
they  brake,  although  I  was  an  husband  unto  them,  saith  the  Lord; 
but  this  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  house 
of  Israel:  After  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in 
their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts;  and  will  be  their 
God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people.  And  they  shall  teach  no 
more  every  man  his  neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying 
Know  the  Lord;  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least  of 
them  unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord;  for  I  will  forgive 
their  iniquity,  and  I  will  remember  their  sins  no  more. ' ' — Jer. 
31:  31-34.  Here  is  the  promise  of  a  new  covenant,  and  one  that 
would  afford  the  necessary  knowledge,  for  through  it  all  would 
be  enabled  to  know  God.  There  would,  hence,  be  no  need  of 
further  teaching.  This  amounts  to  the  affirmation  that,  when 
the  new  covenant  should  be  given  there  would  be  no  need  for 
further  revelation  from  God.  The  mediator  of  this  new  covenant 
was  to  be  the  anointed  One  of  the  Most  High,  the  one  Teacher 
who  alone  could  give  a  true  knowledge  of  God,  and  through 
whom  everlasting  righteousness  should  be  brought  in.  When 
a  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  as  revealed  through  Christ,  was 

20 


given,  and  all  the  necessary  provisions  to  enable  man  to  lay 
hold  on  eternal  life  were  complete  the  revelation  from  God  was 
perfected.  Christ  said,  "All  things  are  delivered  unto  me  of  my 
Father;  and  no  man  knoweth  the  Son  but  the  Father;  neither 
knoweth  any  man  the  Father  save  the  .Son,  and  he  to 
whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal  him."  Matt,  n:  27.  This 
again  affirms  perfection  on  the  part  of  the  mediator  of  the  new 
covenant.  In  the  language  of  Paul  we  say,  If  the  second 
covenant  be  faultless  there  could  be  no  place  for  a  third — no 
demand,  hence,  for  inspiration  and  revelation  in  order  to  the 
development  of  a  third.  From  a  Mormon  standpoint  one  might, 
with  all  propriety,  have  approached  the  Savoir  with  the  question, 
"Art  thou  sufficient  or  shall  we  look  for  another?"  From 
that  same  standpoint,  John  17:  3,  should  read,  "And  this  is  life 
enternal,  that  they  might  know  the  only  true  and  living  God, 
Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent,  and  from  w'hence  the 
Aboriginese  of  America  came.  "  Unhesitatingly  do  we  say,  If 
the  origin  of  the  American  Indians  be  not  a  gospel  idea  there  is 
not  a  gospel  idea  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  but  what  was 
borrowed  from  the  Bible.  Take  the  professed  account  of  the 
first  settling  of  America  out  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the 
remainder  is  a  game  of  plagiarism,  from  beginning  to  end.  The 
Book  of  Mormon  could  not  contain  any  information  concerning 
God,  or  His  Son  jesus  Christ,  without  borrowing  such  from  the 
Bible.  It  is,  hence,  that  Jesus  warns  all  against  any  claims  to 
inspiration  this  side  of  the  completion  of  the  New  Testament. 
Matt.  1 1;  27  contains  such  warning.  The  statement  of  Christ 
being  tnie  the  prophet  of  Mormonism  did  not  know  either  the 
Father  or  the  Son.  He,  like  all  others,  since  the  completion  of 
the  New  Testament,  was  limited  to  the  Bible  for  saving 
knowledge. 

Inspiration  and  revelation  were  never  afforded  for  the  mere 
gratification  of  man's  curiosity.  It  had  no  purpose  except  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  man.  It's  purpose  being  to 
impart  knowledge,  when  the  knowledge  essential  to  its  purpose 
was  afforded,  it's  work  was  done.  A  knowledge  of  God  and  of 

21 


Christ  is  all  that  is  necessary  in  order  to  the  desired  end.  With 
the  impartion,  hence,  of  that  knowledge,  the  work  of  inspiration 
and  revelation  ceased.  With  the  revelation  given  through 
Christ,  as  recorded  in  the  New  Testament,  that  knowledge  was 
perfected.  Therefore,  with  the  completion  of  the  New 
Testament  revelation  from  God  ceased.  This  being  so,  all 
pretended  revelation  since  the  completion  of  the  New  Testament 
are  fraudulent.  That  such  is  the  case  we  now  purpose  to 
demonstrate. 

What  man  needed  in  his  fallen  and  benighted  condition 
was  light.  Christ  is  the  light  of  the  world.  He  is  to  the  people 
of  God  what  the  luminary  of  day  is  to  the  inhabitants  of  earth. 
One  enjoying  the  fullness  of  the  noon  day  sun  does  not  need  a 
jack  o 'lantern  to  enable  him  to  see  his  way.  To  deny  that 
Christ  brought  the  needed  light  to  man  is  to  surrender  the 
claims  of  the  Bible.  Surely,  those  who  enjoy  fellowship  with 
the  Father  and  the  Son  are  heirs  of  eternal  life,  and  have  the 
needed  light.  The  apostle  says,  "That  which  we  have  seen 
and  heard  declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye  also  may  have  fellow- 
ship with  us;  and  truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and 
witH  His  Son  Jesus  Christ.  And  these  things  write  we  unto 
you  that  your  joy  may  be  full." — I.  John  i:  3,  4,  Here  it  is 
affimed  that  through  what  was  delived  by  the  apostles,  we  have 
thecessary  knowledge  in  order  to  Fellowship  with  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  and  in  order  to  fulness  of  joy.  The  trouble  has 
ever  been  and  ever  will  be: — "And  this  is  the  condmnation,  that 
light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather 
than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil."  John  3;  19.  To 
reveal  is  to  bring  to  light.  The  inspiration  and  revelation  from 
heaven  were  designed  to  bring  man  the  light  of  God.  That 
light  could  only  be  afforded  by  bringing  to  man  the  true 
knowledge  of  God.  As  to  the  amount  of  light  necessary  man 
could  not  know.  It  was,  hence,  a  matter  to  be  decided  by  the 
Almighty.  God  having  decided  this  matter,  would,  of  necessity, 
be  governed  by  his  own  decision  or  acknowledge  that  he  made 

22 


a  mistake.  As  we  cannot  think  of  the  Almighty  making  a 
mistake  and  having  to  repent  of  his  error,  we  know  that  he 
having  decided  as  to  the  amount  of  revelation  necessary  has 
never  afforded  any  beyond  that. 

In  the  ninth  chapter  of  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  the 
apostle  treats  of  the  tabernacle  that  was  erected  by  Moses  in  the 
wilderness,  and  tells  us  emphatically  that  it  was  a  typical 
institution,  giving  us,  hence,  in  prophetical  representation  the 
provisions  of  God  in  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  tabernacle 
proper  was  divided  into  two  apartments,  the  holy  and  the  most 
holy  places.  The  first  of  these,  the  holy  place,  represented  the 
Church  of  Christ  on  earth.  That  tabernacle  was  so  securely 
enclosed  that  no  light  entered  from  without.  The  light  for  the 
priests  in  their  ministrations  was  provided  within,  and  all  the 
light,  hence,  that  they  could  have  was  that  afforded  by  the 
seven  lights  of  the  golden  candlestick.  Paul's  statement  being 
true,  that  the  tabernacle  was  a  type  of  the  heavenly  institution, 
the  institution  of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  head,  the  golden 
candlestick  was  a  type  of  that  which  was  to  afford  the  light  for 
the  people  of  God  under  Christ.  The  type  being  a  true  one  the 
church  was  to  have  no  light  beyond  what  was  represented  by  the 
golden  candlestick.  There  is  no  light  from  God  beyond  what 
was  therein  represented.  Therefore  if  we  can  know  what  was 
represented  by  the  golden  candlestick  we  can  know  the 
limitation  of  the  light  afforded  the  Church  of  Christ — can  know, 
hence,  the  bounds  of  inspiration  and  revelation  in  order  to  the 
glory  of  God,  and  the  eternal  interests  of  humanity.  As  we 
have  said,  God  has  thrown  a  safe  guard  around  these  matters, 
and  his  lessons  are  a  guarantee  to  all  that  will  accept  them, 
against  the  possibility  of  deception. 

In  the  fourth  chapter  of  Zechariah  we  have  a  record  of  his 
vision  of  the  golden  candlestick.  There  were  two  olive  trees  by 
the  candlestick,  one  upon  the  right  side,  and  the  other  upon 
the  left  side.  There  were  seven  pipes,  one  for  each  division  of 
the  candlestick,  and  they  furnished  the  golden  oil  for  each 

23 


bowl.  Of  the  candlestick,  the  angel  said  to  Zechariah,  "This 
is  the  word  of  God. "  And  of  the  olive  tree  it  is  said,  "These 
are  the  two  anointed  ones  [Marginal  and  R.  V.  Sons  of  Oil] 
that  stand  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth."  In  the  eleventh 
chapter  of  Revelations  we  are  told  that  these  are  the  two 
witnesses.  The  type  being  true  and  the  vision  correct,  we  have 
certain  facts,  i .  The  word  of  God  is  the  only  light  that  He 
affords  His  people.  2.  That  word  would  be  in  two  grand 
divisions,  standing  as  two  witnesses  for  the  great  Jehovah. 

3.  That  word  as  a  whole  was  to   be  given  in  seven   divisions. 

4.  The  inspiration,  represented  by  the  golden  oil,  was  to  be  by 
virtue  of  two  olive  trees.     5.     In    consequence    of  these    there 
were  to  be,  in  man 's  behalf ,  two  sons    of   oil.     This   gives  just 
what  we  have  in  the  Bible.     The  two  divisions  are  the   Old  and 
the  New  Testaments,  in  other  words,  the  two  covenants.     These 
properly  viewed  would  give  us  seven  subdivisions,  one  division 
answering  as  a  center  stem,  with  three   divisions  on  either  side. 
Matthew,  Mark,  Luke  and  John  were  written  for   one   purpose, 
namely,  to  give  the  demonstration  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.     This  being   the  central  idea 
in  the  canon  of  revelation,  those  four  books  constitute  the  center 
stem.     Jesus  gives  the  entire  Old  Testament  in  three   divisions, 
namel}",  "The  law,  the  psalms,  and  the  prophets.  "     This  gives 
the  three  divisions  on  the  one  side.     On  the  other  side  we  have 
just  three  divisions,  namely,  Acts  of  Apostles,  the   Epistles    to 
the  churches,    and   the    Book  of   Revelations.     The   olive  trees 
represent,  the  two  covenants.     Moses   was   the   mediator   in  the 
first;  was,  hence,  the  revelator — the   law  giver  for  the  people  of 
that  covenant.     Jesus  is  the  mediator  in  the  New;  is,  hence,  the 
revelator — the  law   giver  for  the   people   of   the  new  covenant. 
We  have,  hence,  in  Jesus  and   Moses   the  two  sons  of  oil.     God 
in  his  providential  workings   has   guarded   the   counsel  that  he 
designed  for  man.     We  have  in  the  Book  called  the  Bible,  in  its 
present  arrangement,  just  what  was  represented   by   the  golden 
candlestick.     We  have,  hence,  a   demonstration  of  the  fact  that 

24 


no  light  of  inspiration  is  afforded  beyond  what  we  have  in  the 
development  of  the  two  covenants.  There  is  no  third  olive  tree, 
no  third  son  of  oil,  no  golden  pipe  for  an  eighth  division,  no 
golden  oil  for  any  book  except  what  we  have  in  the  Bible.  In 
view  of  the  facts  now  before  us  we  unhesitatingly  say:  If  such 
as  Mohammed,  Swedenborg,  Jo.  Smith,  Ellen  G.  White,  et  al., 
have  been  favored  with  inspiration  it  was  from  the  infernal 
regions,  not  from  above. 


CHAPTER  FIVE. 

We  have  briefly  noticed  the  candlestick  in  the  light  of 
Zechariah's  vision.  The  lessons  gleaned,  however,  demonstrate 
the  fact  that  God  providentially  guarded  and  directed  the 
preservation  of  his  revelations  to  man,  till  the  Bible,  in  its 
matter  and  arrangement,  gives  just  what  God  foretold  should 
be  given  his  people,  pertaining  to  inspiration  and  revelation. 
It  is  readily  seen  that  the  statement  of  Orson  Pratt  relative  to 
the  collection  of  the  manuscripts  to  constitute  the  Bible  is 
utterly  false — shown,  hence,  that  the  inspiration  directing  the 
first  propagators  of  Mormon  ism  was  from  a  lying  spirit.  The 
lesson  learned  also  shows  the  infidelit3r  in  what,  by  modern 
scribes,  is  called  Higher  Criticism. 

If  the  inspiration  and  revelation  afforded  in  order  to  the 
full  development  of  the  two  covenants  did  not  bring  to  man  the 
necessary  knowledge,  did  not,  hence,  afford  the  required  light, 
we  cannot  claim  inspiration  for  the  Bible.  Accepting,  however, 
the  statement  of  Christ,  that  a  knowledge  of  the  Father  and  the 
Son  was  all  that  was  necessary  in  order  to  the  desired  end,  we 
accept  necessarily,  the  conclusion  that  with  the  perfection  of 
that  knowledge  the  work  of  inspiration  and  revelation  ceased. 
Such  is  the  lesson  taught  by  the  candlestick.  Therefore,  in  the 
New  Testament  we  have  the  true  light  of  God.  Christ  is  the 
true  light  of  God,  and  as  that  light  cannot  be  supplemented 
there  has  been  no  inspiration  and  revelation  from  God  since  the 

25 


completion  of  the  New  Testament.  In  the  light  of  that  book 
we  are  in  the  light  of  God.  Hence,  Christ  could  truthfully  say: 
"All  things  are  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father."  Surely,  in 
the  ALL  THINGS  OF  GOD  is  given  the  knowledge  essential  in  order 
to  the  desired  end.  Therefore  Paul  could  say:  '  'In  Him  are  hid 
all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge." — Col.  2:  3.  There 
could  be  no  demand  for  inspiration  and  revelation  in  addition  to 
what  was  given  through  Christ,  unless  there  could  be  a  demand 
for  something  beyond  all  the  treasures  of  God's  wisdom  and 
knowledge. 

Christ  is,  hence,  of  inspiration  and  revelation,  the  Alpha 
and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last,  the  beginning  and  the  end. 
We  give  the  following: 

1.  Inspiration    and    revelation    ending    with    Christ,    all 
pretended  inspiration  and  revelations  since  His  were  false. 

2.  But  the  pretended  inspiration  and   revelation  of  Joseph 
Smith  were  since  Christ. 

3.  Therefore,  the  pretended  inspiration   and  revelations  of 
Joseph  Smith  were  false. 

We  have  seen  that  the  Bible  as  it  is,  with  its  seven  divisions, 
is  just  what  God's  people  were  to  have  under  the  reign  of 
Christ.  Yet  the  Book  of  Mormon  says  it  is  minus  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  This  being  true  it  is  minus  the  power  of  God;  and 
hence,  minus  the  light  of  God.  This  makes  a  positive 
contradiction  between  the  Bible  and  the  Book  of  Mormon.  If 
the  one  be  true  the  other  is  false.  But  the  Bible  is  true. 
Therefore  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  false. 

Christ  said  to  His  disciples:  "And  you  shall  know  the 
truth  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free. ' '  The  truth  that  was 
essential  to  the  freedom  of  the  human  soul  was  in  the  treasures 
of  wisdom  and  knowledge  that  are  hid  in  Christ,  and  it  could 
not  come  from  any  other  source.  It  is,  hence,  that  Christ  could 
say:  "I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life. "  The  truth  is  in 
the  word  that  Christ  delivered  unto  the  apostles,  and  that 
was  by  them  made  known  to  all  nations.  Hence  said:  "Now 

26 


they  have  known  that  all  tlyngs  whatsoever  Thou  hast  given 
me  are  of  Thee.  For  I  have  given  unto  them  the  words  which 
Thou  gavest  Me.  "—John  17:  7,  8.  To  His  apostles  .the  Christ 
said:  "But  the  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the 
Father  will  send  in  my  name,  He  shall  teach  you  all  things, 
and  bring  all  things  to  your  remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have 
said  unto  you. " — John  14:  26.  Again,  "Howbeit  when  He,  the 
Spirit  of  Truth,  is  come,  He  will  guide  you  into  all  truth:  for 
He  shall  not  speak  of  Himself;  but  whatsoever  He  shall  hear, 
that  shall  He  speak;  and  He  will  show  }rou  things  to  come. 
He  shall  glorify  me;  for  He  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall 
show  it  unto  you.  All  things  that  the  Father  hath  are  mine; 
therefore  said  I  that  He  shall  take  of  Mine,  and  shall  shew  it 
unto  you. " — John  16:  13-15.  In  these  Scriptures  it  is  positively 
affirmed  that  all  that  the  Father  had  for  man,  in  the  way  of 
knowledge  in  order  to  eternal, life,  was  given  to  the  Son,  and  to 
be  made  known  to  the  apostles,  and.  the  apostles  were  to  make 
these  things  known,  and  to  record  them,  that  they  might  answer 
the  purpose  of  man  till  the  conclusion  of  time.  We  submit 
the  following: 

1.  The  Holy  Spirit  guided  the  apostles  into  all  truth. 

2.  But   the  Hoi}'   Spirit   did    not   guide  the   apostles  into 
Mormonism. 

3.  Therefore,  Mormonism  is  not  of  the  truth, 

The  statements  of  Christ  that  we  have  quoted  from  John 
authorize  the  following: 

1 .  All  that  is  from  the  Father  was  given  by  the  Son    unto 
the  apostles. 

2.  But  the  Son  did  not  give  the  Book  of  Mormon  unto  His 
apostles. 

3.  Therefore,    the    Book    of    Mormon    was    not  from  the 
Father. 

Paul  said  to  Timothy:  "From  a  child  thou  hast  known  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make  thee  wise  unto 
salvation  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  " — 2  Tim.  3:  15. 

27 


Man  does  not  need  anything  beyond  the  knowledge  that  makes 
wise  unto  salvation.  Hence,  with  the  bringing  of  that 
knowledge  to  man  the  work  of  inspiration  and  revelation  was 
perfected.  The  revelation  contained  in  the  New  Testament 
thoroughly  supplies  that  knowledge.  It  is  therefore  that  the 
apostle  Peter  could  say:  "According  as  His  divine  Power  hath 
given  us  all  things  that  pertain  unto  life  and  godliness,  through 
the  knowledge  of  Him  that  hath  called  us  to  glory  and  virtue. ' ' 
— II.  Peter  i:  3.  These  scriptures  authorize  the  following: 

1.  The  revelation   of  God's   will  as   made  known   by  the 
apostles  of  Jesus  Christ  contained  all    things  that  pertain  to  life 
and  godliness. 

2.  But  that  revelation  did  not  contain  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

3.  Therefore,  the  Book  of  Mormon  does  not  pertain  to   life 
and  godliness. 

Christ  having  delivered  to  the  apostles  the  truth  that 
involved  the  glory  of  God  and  the  eternal  destiny  of  humanity, 
promised,  in  man's  behalf,  to  be  with  that  truth  to  the  end  of 
the  world.  He  said,  "All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven 
and  in  earth.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you:  And,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the 
end  of  the  world. " — Matt.  28:  18,  19,  20.  This  authorizes  the 
following: 

1.  Christ  is,  in  man's  behalf,  with  what   was  delivered  by 
the  apostles. 

2.  But  the  Book  of    Mormon    was    not    delivered  by   the 
apostles. 

3.  Therefore,  Christ  is  not  with  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
This  suggests  the  following: 

1.  Any  religious  production  that    Christ   is   not   with  is  a 
godless  production. 

2.  But  Christ  is  not  with  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

3.  Therefore,  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  a  godless  production. 
To    bring    man    into    the    freedom    of   sonship — into  the 

28 


enjoyment  of  soul  liberty,  the  highest  relation  and  enjoyment 
possible  on  earth,  was  the  purpose  for  which  inspiration  and 
revelation  were  vouchsafed  to  man.  When  the  means  that  were 
necessary  to  the  desired  end  were  placed  within  the  reach  of 
man,  the  end  for  wrhich  they  were  given  being  reached,  there 
was  no  demand  for  their  further  continuance.  Christ  said: 
"And  you  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you 
free." — John  8:  32.  When  that  truth  was  brought  to  man  the 
purpose  of  inspiration  and  revelation  was  accomplished.  Paul 
said  to  the  Galatians:  "Stand  fast  therefore  in  the  liberty 
wherewith  Christ  hath  made  us  free,  and  be  not  entangled 
again^with  the  yoke  of  bondage.  " — Gal.  5:  i.  This  affirms  that 
the  desired  liberty  was  attained  through  the  truth  as  delivered 
by  Jesus  Christ.  Beyond  the  delivering  of  that  truth  to  man 
there  was  no  demand  for  the  work  of  inspiration  and  revelation. 
We  now  give  the  following: 

1 .  The  purpose  for  which  man  wras  favored  wTith  inspiration 
and  revelation  from  God  being  reached,  that  work  was  complete. 

2.  But  that    purpose   was  reached  through  the  inspiration 
and  revelation  granted  the  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  Therefore,  with  the  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ  the  work  of 
inspiration  and  revelation  reached  its  completeness. 

As  the  will  of  God  given  by  Christ  and  recorded  in  the 
Newr  Testament,  involves  His  own  glory  and  the  eternal 
interests^  of  man,  it  is  sacredly  guarded  by  the  authority  of 
heaven.  We  invite  attention  to  the  following  scriptures:  "For 
I  testify  unto  every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy 
of  this  book,  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God  shall 
add  untojiim  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book;  and  if 
any  man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this 
prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life, 
and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things  which  are  written 
in  this  book." — Rev.  22:  18,  19.  Again,  "I  marvel  that  ye  are 
so  soon  removed  from  him  that  called  you  into  the  grace  of 
Christ  unto  another  gospel:  which  is  not  another;  but  there  be 

29 


some  that  trouble  you,  and  would  pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
But  though  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  any  other 
gospel  unto  you  than  that  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let  him 
be  accursed.  As  we  said  before,  so  say  I  now  again,  If  any 
man  preach  any  other  gospel  unto  you  than  that  ye  have 
received,  let  him  be  accursed." — Gal.  i:  6-9. 
These  scriptures  authorize  the  following: 

1 .  As  the  inspiration  from  God,  gave  through  the  apostles 
of  Christ  the   truth   of   God,    an   inspiration   that   would  give 
anything    different    or  additional   thereto  would   be  from    the 
infernal  regions. 

2.  But  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  something  additional  to  and 
different  from  what  the  apostles  of  Christ  gave. 

3.  Therefore,  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  given  by  inspiration 
from  the  infernal  regions. 

The  pure  gospel  of  Christ  was  delivered  by  the  apostles 
and  recorded  in  the  New  Testament.  We  are  assured,  however, 
that  any  production  giving  anything  different  from  or 
additional  to  what  the  apostles  gave  would  be  a  perverted 
gospel — would  be  in  the  sight  of  God  as  another  gospel.  Upon 
such,  we  are  assured,  the  curse  of  God  would  rest.  These  facts 
authorize  the  following: 

1.  The  curse  of    God  rests     upon    any    production    that 
contains  another  gospel. 

2.  But  the  Book  of  Mormon  contains  another  gospel. 

3.  Therefore,    the   curse   of   God  rests    upon  the  Book   of 
Mormon. 

When  a  boy,  like  other  bo'ys,  we  would  often  have  a  bow 
and  arrow,  and  we  always  wanted  a  string  that  would  be  secure, 
one  that  would  not  break.  -We  would,  hence,  get  a  strong  line, 
then  double  and  twist  it.  Then  we  knew  that  no  boy  could 
break  it.  We  aim  to  pursue  that  course  with  this  line  of 
argument  against  modern  inspirations.  We  do  not  piirpose 
simply  to  give  a  strong  line  of  argument,  but  we  expect  to 
double  and  twist  it,  and  thus  give  a  line  of  argument  that  will 

30 


never  be  broken .  Our  task  is  to  vindicate  the  claims  of  the 
Bible,  and  we  expect  to  do  so  in  a  manner  that  will  be 
satisfactory  to  all  who  can  be  reached  by  the  force  of  reasoning. 


CHAPTER    SIX. 

Man  as  a  being  has  wants  beyond  those  of  the  mere  animal. 
The  secret  of  this  we  find  in  the  fact  that  man  possesses 
conscious  moral  responsibility,  something  that  no  mere  animal 
possesses.  Man,  is  hence,  an  accountable  being.  If  we  enquire 
for  the  extent  of  man's  responsibility,  it  is  just  to  the  extent  of 
his  obligations.  We  state,  but  do  not  purpose  to  argue  the 
proposition  now,  Man  is  responsible  to  his  Creator.  There  is 
however,  but  one  way  for  man  to  meet  that  responsibility,  and 
that  is  by  making  the  will  of  God  his  rule  of  action.  Had  God, 
hence,  withheld  that  will  from  man  he  could  not  justly  have 
held  him  responsible,  in  case  he  failed  to  meet  that  responsibility. 
The  principle  of  justice  demanded  that  God's  will,  in  its  fullness 
and  perfection,  should  be  revealed  unto  man.  This  being  done 
man  would  be  left  without  excuse.  It  is,  hence,  that  in  this 
the  honor  and  glory  of  God,  and  the  eternal  interests  of 
humanity  are  involved.  The  Bible  containing  the  perfect  will 
of  God  to  man,  which  it  does  or  its  claims  are  false,  an  effort  to 
lead  man  to  the  adoption  of  any  other  production  as  a  rule  of 
action  is  only  an  effort  to  thrust  something  between  God's  will 
and  man.  In  so  far  as  man  might  be  led  to  the  adoption  of 
something  thrust  between  him  and  God's  will  he  would  be  led 
away  from  that  will,  and  in  so  far  as  man  is  led  away  from 
that  will  he  is  led  away  from  God.  An  effort,  hence,  to  thrust 
something  between  God's  will  and  man  is  an  effort,  virtually, 
to  thwart  the  purpose  of  God  and  prevent  the  salvation  of  man. 
This  gives  the  secret  of  the  severe  anathemas  of  God  resting 
upon  any  that  pervert  His  will,  either  by  addition,  subtraction 
or  alteration.  If  man  is  saved  it  must  be  by  the  grace  of  God. 
Man  can  never  find  a  substitute  for  that  grace,  and  God  will 


never  direct  his  creatures  to  a  substitute  for  his  own  true  grace. 
The  apostle  Peter  writing  to  the  saints  of  his  day  said,  "By 
Sylvanus,  a  faithful  brother  unto  you,  as  I  suppose,  I  have 
written  briefly,  exhorting,  and  testifying  that  this  is  the  true 
grace  of  God  wherein  ye  stand.  " — I.  Pet.  5:  12.  If  we  would 
know  what  the  true  grace  of  God  is  we  only  need  to  learn  what 
the  saints  of  the  apostles' day  stood  in.  Paul  said:  "Moreover, 
brethren,  I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel  which  I  preached  unto 
you,  which  also  ye  have  received,  and  wherein  ye  stand,  b}^ 
wrhich  also  ye  are  saved." — I.  Cor.  15:  i,  2. 

Peter  testifies  that  the  saints  of  the  apostles'  day  stood  in 
the  true  grace  of  God.  Paul  testifies  that  they  stood  in  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  as  he  preached  it,  as  recorded  in  his  epistles. 
Peter  saw  Paul's  statement  and  approved  of  what  he  said. 
II.  Pet.  3:15,  16.  In  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  shall 
everything  be  established.  Therefore,  by  Peter  and  Paul  we 
prove  that  the  gospel  of  Christ  as  recorded  in  the  epistles  of 
Paul  is  the  true  grace  of  God.  Paul  testifies  that  grace  had 
appeared  unto  all  men.  Titus  2:  n.  In  proving  the  above 
facts  by  Peter  and  Paul  we  prove  the  book  of  Mormon  to  have 
been  dictated  by  a  lying  spirit,  for,  as  we  have  seen,  that  book 
testifies  that  the  true  gospel  of  Christ  is  not  contained  in  the 
New  Testament. 

We  give  the  following: 

T.  The  true  grace  of  God  in  order  to  the  salvation  of  man 
was  made  known  by  the  apostles  of  Christ. 

2.  But  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  not  made   known   by  the 
apostles  of  Christ. 

3.  Therefore,    the   Book   of    Mormon  is  not  of   the   grace 
of  God. 

Again: 

1.  Any  book  claiming  inspiration  is  proven  to  be   a  lying 
document  is  the  production  of  a  deceiver. 

2.  But  it  is  proven  that  the  Book   of  Mormon  is   a   lying 
document. 

3.  Therefore,  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  the   production   of  a 

32 


deceiver.     This    places    Joseph    Smith    in  his   true  light,  and 
shows  him  to  be  an  imposter. 

Some  things  are  impossible  with  God.  As  we  are  told  that 
it  is  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  it  is  impossible  for  Him  to 
sanction  a  lying  document.  We  have,  however  proven  by 
the  testimony  of  Peter  and  Paul,  that  the  Book  of  Mormon 
is  a  lying  document.  Therefore  we  prove  by  Peter  and  Paul 
that  it  is  impossible  for  God  to  endorse  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
This  proves  by  the  testimony  of  Almighty  God  that  the 
Book  of  Mormon  is  a  fraud.  This  shows  beyond  the 
possibility  of  a  doubt  that  if  there  was  any  inspiration  at  wrork 
in  producing  the  Book  of  Mormon  it  "was  from  the  infernal 
regions.  It  may  be  said  that  wevuse  strong  language.  We 
reply,  \ve  have  a  severe  case,  and  the  demand  is  for  strong 
medicine.  I  want  these  things  to  be  seen  in  their  true  light. 
The  claims  of  the  Bible  are  involved.  For  that  man  who  would 
approach  me  as  a  pretended  friend,  but  while  imparting  a  kiss 
would  stab  me  under  the  fifth  rib,  honorable  people  can  have 
no  respect.  When  God  had  established  the  remedial  system, 
brought  to  man  his  true  grace,  and  provided  for  His  people  to 
enjoy  His  fulness,  there  was  no  demand  for  anything  farther, 
nor  could  there  be,  unless  there  could  be  a  demand  for 
something  beyond  the  true  grace  and  fulness  of  God.  To  the 
Ephesians  Paul  said:  "And  hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet, 
and  gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the  church, 
which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all." — 
Eph.  i:  22,  23.  The  testimony  of  Peter  and  Paul  being  true,  a 
congregation  of  believers  planted  in  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ 
as  revealed  in  the  New  Testament  enjoys  the  fulness  of  God 
and  stands  in  His  grace.  The  work  of  inspiration  and  revelation 
was  in  order  to  bring  man  to  the  enjoyment  of  these.  That 
done  and  its  work  was  complete.  God  said  to  Paul:  "My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."  His  grace  as  provided  in  Christ, 
which  is  enjoyed  by  being  in  the  New  Testament  arrangement 
is  sufficient  for  all,  otherwise  the  whole  thing  is  a  failure. 

33 


As  in  the  revelation  given  in  the  New  Testament  we  have 
the  perfection  of  God,  we  have  in  that  book,  of  necessity,  the 
perfect  will  of  God  beyond  which  revelation  could  not  go.  To 
the  Romans  Paul  said,  "I  beseech  you  therefore,  brethren,  by 
the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice 
holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which  is  your  reasonable  service. 
And  be  not  conformed  to  this  world;  but  be  ye  transformed  by 
the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that  ye  may  prove  what  is  that 
good  and  acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God." — Rom.  12:  i,  2. 
In  another  place  that  same  apostle  says:  "By  the  which  will 
we  are  all  sanctified  through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus 
Christ  once  for  all."  Heb.  10:  10.  That  this  perfect  will  is  in 
the  truth  into  which  the  Holy  Spirit  guided  the  apostles  is 
affirmed  in  the  following:  "Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth; 
thy  word  is  truth." — John  17:  17. 

It  would  be  folly  in  man  to  think  of  limiting  the  Almighty, 
but  the  Infinite  One  is  limited  to  and  within  his  own  perfections. 
Beyond  those  perfections  the  Almighty  does  not  go.  The 
apostle  again  says  speaking  of  Christ:  "In  whom  also  we  have 
obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predestinated  according  to  the 
purpose  of  Him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  His 
own  will." — Eph.  i:  n.  Those  who  obtain  this  inheritance  are 
those  that  were  predestinated  thereto  according  to  the 
foreknowledge  of  God.  If  we  would  know  who  it  was  that  God 
foreordained  to  this  inheritance,  Paul  tells  in  the  following, 
"For  ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 
For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put 
on  [been  clothed  with]  Christ.  There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek, 
there  is  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither  male  nor  female; 
for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then 
are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise.  "- 
Gal.  3:  26-29. 

When  God  made  promise  to  Abraham  he  had  foreordained 
that  all,  whether  Jew  or  Greek,  that  would  obey  the  gospel  of 
Christ  should  be  His  heirs — should,  hence,  enjoy  His  fulness 

34 


in  the  Beloved.  Therefore  Paul  says:  "And  being  made 
perfect,  He  became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  unto  all  them 
that  obey  Him." — Heb.  5:  9. 

Nothing  short  of  the  perfection  of  God  in  Christ  could 
bring  man  into  the  enjoyment  of  eternal  salvation.  And  just 
so  certain  as  that  the  Bible  is  true  that  perfection  is  in  the  New 
Testament  arrangement.  To  that  arrangement,  hence,  all 
heaven  is  limited.  If  man,  therefore,  would  be  with  God  he 
must  be  within  the  limitations  of  that  one  arrangement. 

God  has  nothing  for  man  beyond  His  own  perfect  will, 
neither  could  he  have  unless  He  could  have  something  for  man 
beyond  His  own  perfection.  Neither  can  He  be  found,  in  man's 
behalf,  out  of  that  will,  unless  He  could  be  found  out  of  His  own 
perfection.  We  submit  the  following :j 

1.  Any  production  be3'ond  the  perfection  of  God  in  Christ, 
that  claims  inspiration,  is  of  the  devil. 

2.  But  the  Book  of  Mormon   is   a   production   beyond  the 
perfection  of  God  in  Christ,  that  claims  inspiration. 

3.  Therefore    the   Book    of  Mormon  is  a  production  from 
the  devil. 

As  the  perfection  of  God,  in  man's  behalf  is  in  Christ,  He 
combines  in  Himself,  in  their  perfection,  the  prophetic,  the 
priestly,  and  the  kingl}-  offices.  Christ  combining  in  himself, 
in  their  perfection,  the  prophetic,  the  priestly,  and  the  kingly 
offices,  He  is  the  antitype  of  all  former  prophets,  priests  and 
kings,  that  were  by  the  authority  of  God.  In  Christ,  as  the 
Messiah  of  God,  the  prophetic,  the  priestly,  and  the  kingly 
offices  reached  their  perfection,  with  Him  they  cease.  As 
perfection  in  these  is  only  found  in  Christ,  and  as  perfection 
cannot  be  supplemented,  Christ  can  have  no  successor  in  any  of 
these  functions.  To  argue  the  necessity  of  a  successor  to  Christ, 
in  any  of  these  offices,  is  to  argue  His  deficiency  as  the  Messiah! 

The  apostle  says:  "Ix>ve  shall  never  pass  away;  though 
the  gift  of  prophecy,  shall  vanish,  and  the  gilt  of  tongues  shall 
cease,  and  the  gift  of  knowledge  shall  come  to  nought.  For 

35 


our  knowledge  is  imperfect,  and  our  prophesying  is  imperfect. 
But  when  the  fulness  of  perfection  is  come,  then  all  that  is 
imperfect  shall  pass  away." — I.  Cor.  13:  8.  Conybeare.  If 
perfection  was  not  reached  in  Christ  we  are  without  a  perfect 
Savoir.  But  in  Christ  we  have  a  perfect  Savoir.  Therefore  in 
Him  perfection  was  reached.  Previous  to  the  coming  of  the 
great  Prophet  the  representative  of  God  on  earth,  and  the  giving 
of  the  perfect  will  of  God  through  Him,  all  prophecy  and 
miraculous  impartations  of  knowledge  were  imperfect,  for  none 
of  them  nor  all  of  them  together  could  answer  the  purpose  in 
view.  They  were  all  preparatory  to  one  great  end.  The  one 
great  purpose  being  accomplished,  preparatory  means  were  no 
longer  needed.  We  submit: 

1.  When   the  fulness  of   perfection   in    Christ   should  be 
reached  prophesying  was  to  cease. 

2.  But  the  fulness  of  perfection  in  Christ   was   reached  in 
the  New  Testament  arrangement. 

3.  Therefore,  with  the  completion  of  the   New  Testament 
all  prophesying  ceased.     Again: 

1.  All  pretended  prophets  since  the  fulness   of   perfection 
in  Christ  was  reached  were  imposters. 

2.  But  Joseph  Smith  was  a  pretended   prophet    since  the 
fulness  of  perfection  in  Christ  was  reached. 

3.  Therefore  Joseph  Smith  was  an  imposter. 


CHAPTER  SEVEN. 

We  are  not  controlled  in  the  least  by  a  spirit  of  vindicative- 
ness  in  what  we  have  to  say  in  these  articles.  As  the  claims  of 
Mormonism,  as  what  has  been  presented  abundantly  shows, 
antagonize  the  claims  of  the  Bible,  we  could  not  clear  ourself  in 
the  sight  of  God,  meet  our  obligations  to  truth,  nor  do  justice 
to  our  fellow  creatures  were  we  not  in  earnest.  When  it  comes 
to  the  discussion  of  issues  that  involve  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
eternal  interests  of  man  the  fear  of  man  is  not  before  our  eyes. 

36 


We  have  no  party  interest  to  serve,  but  write  wholly  in  behalf 
of  truth.  We  firmly  believe  the  propositions  embodied  in  the 
heading  of  which  we  write.  Believing  those  propositions  we 
can  have  no  feeling  toward  the  originators  of  Mormonism  except 
one  of  mingled  pity  and  contempt.  It  is  evident,  whatever  else 
they  may  have  believed,  they  certainly  did  not  believe  in  a  just 
judgment  to  come.  As  to  the  Book  of  Mormon,  its  claims  place 
it  on  a  level  with  the  Koran.  If  it  had  no  claims  but  that  of  a 
novel  we  could  think  more  of  it,  but  then  one  possessed  of 
a  refined  literary  taste  could  not  have  patience  to  read-  it.  Its 
uncouth,  illiterate,  bunglesome  manner  would  place  it  in  the 
lowest  grade.  It  gives  evidence  of  being  designed  as  a  bait  for 
the  unwary,  unthinking,  reckless  part  of  humanity.  For  such 
a  book  to  claim  to  be  given  by  the  inspiration  of  heaven — to 
claim  superiority  over  the  Bible — to  claim,  hence,  to  be  the 
proper  guide  for  a  man,  in  view  of  his  present  and  eternal 
interests,  is  enough  to  make  the  domons  blush  and  hang  their 
heads  in  shame,  if  there  could  be  blushes  and  shame  in  the 
infernal  regions.  But  impudence  and  falsehood  are  the  chief 
characteristics  of  those  religions.  That  such  are  really  the 
characteristics  of  Mormonisn  has  been,  and  will  be  abundantly 
shown. 

The  book  of  Mormon  submits  as  the  basis  of  its  claims  as 
base  a  falsehood  as  it  would  be  possible  to  utter,  namely,  that 
the  New  Testament  does  not  contain  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
According  to  the  book  of  Mormon,  the  people  with  whom  it  had 
its  origin,  and  who  are  introduced  to  us  as  the  especial  favorites 
of  heaven,  began  their  career  in  lying,  deception,  robbery  and 
murder,  and  ended  the  same  in  rapine  and  cannibalism.  Lehi, 
the  father  of  the  Nephites  and  Lamanites,  we  are  told  was  a 
Jew,  born  and  raised  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  born  of  "goodly 
parents, "  and,  of  course,  trained  strictly  in  the  righteousness  of 
the  law  of  Moses.  This  man,  we  are  assured,  was  so  upright  in 
life  that  he  was  despised  by  the  wicked  Jews.  Such  a  man,  of 
course,  carefully  taught  his  children  all  the  precepts  of  the  law. 

37 


But  in  a  dream  he  was  commanded  to  leave  Jerusalem.  Being 
obedient  he  left  Jerusalem,  he  left  his  inheritance,  his  gold,  his 
silver,  and  his  precious  things  and  went  three  days  journey  into 
the  wilderness.  There  he  built  an  altar  and  worshipped.  But 
the  Lord  now  reminded  him  that  he  had  no  copy  of  the  law,  nor 
family  record.  It  was  necessary  that  he  should  have  these,  not 
only  that  they  might  teach  their  descendants  the  law,  but  also 
preserve  the  language  of  their  forefathers.  One  Laban,  a 
prominent  man,  a  drunken,  wicked  wretch,  but,  of  course,  a 
member  of  the  church,  had  Lehi's  family  record,  and  the  Jewish 
Scriptures,  engraven  on  brass  plates,  and  in  the  language  of  the 
Jewish  fathers,  that  is  the  Kgyptian  language!  How  the 
learned  world  have  been  fooled!  Laban  did  not  want  to  give 
up  his  record,  and  there  was,  of  course,  no  way  by  the  use  of 
riches  to  have  them  copied.  They  must  have  Laban 's  records 
though  he  has  to  be  murdered  in  order  to  get  them.  Nephi  was 
a  beardless  youth,  but  he  was  sufficient  for  the  undertaking. 
Starting  to  Laban 's  residence  he  found  the  man  in  a  drunken 
stupor.  With  the  sword  of  his  victim  he  decapitated  him.  The 
man  being  dead  he  stripped  him,  and  put  the  clothing  on 
himself,  every  whit  of  them,  and  so  dressed  in  Laban 's  clothes 
and  armed  with  his  sword  he  wrent  to  the  residence.  He 
assuming  Laban 's  voice  gave  command.  The  faithful  servant, 
as  a  faithful  servant  would  do,  scrutinized  him  closely.  He  saw 
that  it  was  Laban 's  clothes  and  sword,  and  of  course,  he  could 
not  tell  the  boyish  face  from  the  bearded  face  of  his  master. 
The  clothes  were  not  even  stained,  much  less  clotted  wTith  blood! 
We  are,  hence,  to  understand  that  Laban 's  body  was  a  bloodless 
one!  They  cross  the  ocean,  and  in  a  few  days  two  men  and  a 
few  boys  built  a  temple  like  unto  the  one  that  Solomon  built, 
and  some  boys  of  the  tribe  of  Joseph  were  duly  consecrated  to 
the  priesthood  according  to  the  laws  of  Moses.  Wonderful 
people,  and  wonderful  respect  for  the  law  of  Moses.  They  that 
credit  such  as  being  from  heaven  need  not  talk  about  the 
credulity  of  any  religious  people  under  the  sun. 

38 


With  this  digression  we  now  return  to  our  line  of  thought. 
The  claims  of  Mormonism  must  all  rest  upon  the  claims  of 
Joseph  Smith  as  a  prophet  of  God.  If  Smith  was  an  inspired 
man  of  God  Mormonism  is  true.  Upon  the  other  hand,  if  Smith 
was  an  imposter  Mormonism  is  false.  As  we  have  seen,  the 
claims  of  the  Bible  are  involved;  for  if  Smith  was  a  true  prophet 
Jesus  Christ  was  not.  This  is  putting  the  matter  in  strong 
terms,  and  gives  us  the  whole  issue  in  a  nutshell. 

I  know  that  Mormonism  claims  to  honor  Christ.  But, 
whilst  it  would  embrace  with  its  left  hand,  and  give  the 
professed  kiss  of  affection,  with  the  right  hand  the  concealed 
dagger  would  be  used,  and  it  would  give  the  fatal  stab  under 
the  fifth  rib.  We  are  told  in  the  New  Testament  that  Jesus  said 
that  Paul  was  His  chosen  vessel  (messenger)  to  the  Gentile 
world;  In  His  chosen  ministry  Christ  claimed  to  execute  the  • 
will  of  God.  If,  therefore,  Paul  was  a  false  prophet  he  was  an 
imposter.  This  being  so,  Christ  was  not  the  true  Messiah,  and 
as  a  consequence  the  New  Testament  is  a  fraud.  But,  as  we 
have  seen,  Paul  testified  that  prophecies  w^ould  cease  when 
perfection  in  Christ  should  be  reached.  With  the  completion 
of  the  arrangement  in  Christ,  and  the  giving  of  the  perfect  will 
of  God  as  revealed  in  the  New  Testament,  perfection  for  the 
people  of  God  wras  reached,  otherwise  Paul  was  a  false  prophet. 
Paul  was,  however,  a  true  prophet.  Therefore,  with  the 
completion  of  the  New  Testament  perfection  was  reached,  and 
with  the  completion  of  that  book  all  miraculous  endowments 
ceased. 

We  now  invite  attention  to  the  following:  "And  God  hath 
set  some  in  the  church,  first  apostles,  secondarily  prophets, 
thirdly  teachers,  after  that  miracles,  then  gifts  of  healing,  helps, 
governments,  diversities  of  tongues." — I.  Cor.  12-:  28.  Of  this 
ministry  and  its  specific  purpose,  Paul  speaks  more  fully  in  the 
Ephesian  epistle.  There  he  says  that  after  Christ  had  ascended 
upon  high  He  gave  certain  gifts.  He  says:  "And  He  gave 
some,  apostles;  and  some,  prophets;  and  some,  evangelists;  and 

39 


some  pastors  and  teachers. "  These  were  given  for  a  specific 
purpose,  and  for  a  specified  time.  They  were  given,  hence, 
"For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ. "  Thus  we  are  told  the 
purpose  for  which  the  MINISTRY  that  Christ  established  in  His 
church  was  given.  To  this  MINISTRY  belonged  certain  gifts, 
essential  to  their  work.  Paul  says:  "For  to  one  is  given  by 
the  Spirit  the  word  of  wisdom;  to  another  the  word  of  knowledge 
by  the  same  Spirit;  to  another  faith  by  the  same  Spirit;  to 
another  the  working  of  miracles;  to  another  prophecy;  to 
another  discerning  of  spirits;  to  another  divers  kinds  of  tongues; 
to  another  the  interpretation  of  tongues."  These  gifts,  belt 
remembered,  belonged  to  the  New  Testament  ministry.  That 
the  apostles  constituted  that  ministry  is  affirmed  in  the  following: 
"And  I  thank  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  who  hath  enabled  me,  for 
that  He  counted  me  worthy,  putting  me  into  the  ministry." 
Christ  put  Paul  into  the  apostleship.  Therefore,  ministry  and 
apostleship  were,  by  inspiration,  interchangeable  terms.  The 
seven  deacons  were  chosen  that  the  apostles  might  give 
themselves  continually  to  prayer  and  the  ministry  of  the  word. 
As  helps  in  this  ministry  the  Lord  gave  prophets,  evangelists, 
pastors  and  teachers.  The  miraculous  endowments  belonged  to 
this  ministry.  So  long,  hence,  as  this  ministry  continued 
miracles  continued.  If  this  ministry  was  to  be  perpetual, 
miracles  would  necessarily  be  perpetual.  If  however,  this 
ministry  was  for  a  specified  time,  then  it  would  cease  and 
miracles  would  disappear.  If  we  ask  for  the  purpose  of  these 
apostles,  prophets,  evangelists,  pastors  and  teachers,  Paul  says: 
"For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ. "  If  we  ask,  How  long 
was  this  special  ministry  to  continue?  Paul  says:  "Till  we  all 
come  in  (into)  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the 
stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ."  See  Eph.  4:  8-13. 

40 


The  work  of  the  apostolic  ministry  was  to  prepare  for  all  to 
have  the  one  faith — to  possess  the  necessary  knowledge  in  order 
to  eternal  life — to  come,  hence,  to  the  manhood  in  Christ. 
Coming  to  this,  perfection  in  Christ  would  be  reached.  With 
this  the  work  of  that  special  ministry  was  done  and  would  be 
no  longer  called  for.  With  the  cessation  of  this  ministry 
miracles  were  to  cease.  If  the  apostolic  ministry  did  not 
accomplish  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  given  it  was  a  failure. 
This  being  the  case  the  New  Testament  is  not  true.  The  New 
Testament,  however,  is  true;  the  apostolic  ministry  accomplished 
the  work  for  which  it  wras  given,  and  as  a  consequence  there 
has  not  been  a  MINISTRY  as  a  special  class,  in  the  church  of 
Christ  since  the  apostles' day.  There  being  no  demand  for  a 
special  ministry  in  the  church  of  Christ  since  the  apostles'  day 
there  has  been  no  call  for  miracle  working  power.  No  miracle 
working  power,  hence,  has  been  given  since  the  apostolic 
ministry  completed  its  work.  As  that  ministry  perfected  the 
work  for  which  it  was  given,  and  as  perfection  cannot  be 
supplemented  there  was  none  appointed  to  take  the  place  of 
those  that  constituted  that  ministry.  They  had  no  successors. 
The  apostles  wrere  witnesses  for  Jesus  Christ.  One  to  be 
such  must  be  a  man  that  had  seen  Jesus  Christ  after  His 
resurrection.  Paul  says  that  he  was  the  last  of  all  to  be  blessed 
with  that  privilege;  the  last,  hence,  to  be  placed  in  that  ministry. 
All  modern  orders  of  ministry  are  humanly  constituted,  and  as 
God  never  authorized  them  he  has  no  special  favors  for  them. 


CHAPTER  EIGHT. 

The  apostolic  ministry  being  God's  especial  ministry, 
established  for  the  specific  purpose  of  delivering  the  faith  for 
the  people  of  God- no  one  could  have  any  part  in  that  ministry 
only  such  as  were  specially  called  of  God  for  that  purpose.  I 
could  as  easily  credit  the  claims  of  all  the  Mormon  factions  to 
miracle  working  power  as  I  could  the  claims  of  the  various 


sectarian  parties  of  the  present   time,    that   God   specially  calls 
men  to  their  MINISTRIES. 

The  New  Testament  ministry  was  an  inspired  ministry, 
and  to  it,  of  necessity,  belonged  th^  miracle  working  power. 
The  Holy  Spirit  was  not  only  with  them  as  the  Spirit  of 
inspiration,  but  also  as  the  Spirit  of  confirmation. 
Inspiration  was  ever  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the  counsel  of 
God  to  man.  It  was  not  only  necessary  for  that  counsel  to  be 
revealed,  but  highly  essential  that  it  be  confirmed.  The 
inspired  messengers  of  heaven,  hence,  were  always  prepared  to 
demonstrate  the  truthfulness  of  their  message  by  miraculous 
attestation.  Thus  Paul  could  say:  "And  my  speech  and  my 
preaching  was  not  with  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom,  but  in 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power;  that  your  faith  should 
not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power  of  God.  "- 
I.  Cor.  2:  4,  5. 

We  are  here  told  the  purpose  of  all  miracle  working  power. 
It  was  to  demonstrate  the  source  and  truthfulness  of  the 
heavenly  message.  The  faith  of  God's  people  resting  in  the 
word  thus  confirmed  rests  in  the  power  of  God.  Man's  faith 
resting  in  anything  else  it  rests  in  the  mechanism  of  men  and 
demons.  Of  the  apostles  it  is  said:  "And  they  went  forth  and 
preached  everywhere,  the  Lord  working  with  them,  and 
confirming  the  word  with  signs  following." — Mark  16:  20.  Not 
a  man  since  the  apostles'  day  could  say  as  Paul  said  to  the 
Corinthians,  neither  can  it  be  said  of  any  set  of  men  since  that 
day  as  was  said  of  the  apostles  in  Mark  16:  20.  It  would  have 
been  ridiculous,  in  the  extreme,  for  an  apostle  to  have  gone  to 
Asia,  Africa  or  Europe,  and,  as  proof  of  what  he  preached,  told 
the  people  that  a  certain  miracle  was  wrought  in  Tudea,  and  one 
in  Samaria.  The  ridiculousness  of  these  modern  pretenders  to 
apostolic  power  beggars  description!  They  are  false  apostles, 
deceitful  workers.  We  need  not  be  surprised  that  such  are  at 
work,  for  Satan,  we  are  told,  is  transformed  into  an  angel  of 
light.  If  we  could  get  all  these  modern  pretenders  to  miracle 

42 


working  power  together  they  could  not  give  a  demonstration  of 
a  single  genuine  miracle,  if  it  was  to  save  them  from  the  infernal 
regions.  Some  time  back  I  was  in  a  neighborhood  where  Smith 
and  his  associates  spent  considerable  time.  An  elderly  gentleman 
whose  word  was  at  par  with  all  that  knew  him,  told  me  of  his 
associations  with  Smith.  Upon  a  certain  occasion  Smith  was 
to  preach,  and  there  was  to  be  an  exhibition  of  their  power  to 
speak  with  tongues.  Although  Smith  was  out  of  humor  on 
account  of  some  things  that  had  occurred  in  the  neighborhood, 
he  preached,  but  language  he  used  I  would  not  dare  give.  It 
could  only  be  relished  by  the  vulgar  in  the  lowest  circles. 
After  the  sermon  Smith  and  other  leading  ones  stood  up  before 
the  crowd  to  show  their  gift  of  tongues.  As  their  utterances 
were  not  rapid,  a  gentleman  present  wrote  them,  so  as  to 
examine  them  afterwards,  and  it  was  shown  that  the}'  had 
repeated  a  certain  chapter  in  the  book  of  Genesis  backwards! 
That  gentleman  did  not  need  inspiration  in  order  to  interpret 
their  tongues!  Neither  does  any  thinking  man  need  inspiration  in 
order  to  tell  from  what  source  the  inspiration  of  Smith  &  Co. 
came.  My  informant  was  not  in  sympathy  with  what  I  taught. 
There  was,  however,  a  company  there  that  believed  in  Smith. 
Among  the  questions  that  wrere  given  us  to  answer  during  our 
series  of  meetings  there,  was  the  following:  "Do  the  signs 
mentioned  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eixteenth  chapter  of  Mark 
follow  today?"  My  reply  was:  "It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to 
answer  that  question,  for  my  answer  would  not,  doubtless  be 
satisfactory  to  those  who  propounded  the  question.  You  can 
settle  that  question.  It  will  not  cost  you  much  to  do  so.  Just 
get  all  in  the  Mormon  family  that  claim  miraculous  power 
together,  set  them  a  dinner,  and  give  each  a  dose  of  "Rough  on 
Rats,"  and  if  it  don't  hurt  them  you  ma}*  know  that  those 
signs  follow,  but  if  the  dose  hurts  them  you  will  know  that  they 
don't  follow.  I  can  give  you  my  opinion  and  it  is  just  what 
you  are  doubtful  it  would  be.  You  would  have  an  entire  new 
set  of  officials  to  select.  The  apostles  of  Christ  were  poison 

43 


proof,  and  if  your  officials  are  what  they  claim  to  be  they  are 
poison  proof.  If  they  are  imposters  the  people  ought  to  know 
it. 

Regarding  the  purpose  of  miracles  the  following  is  pointed: 
f'And  many  other  signs  truly  did  Jesus  in  the  presence  of  His 
disciples  which  are  not  written  in  this  book;  but  these  are  written 
that  ye  might  believe." — John  20:  30,  3.1.  This  affirms  that 
miracles  were  for  the  purpose  of  confirming  the  testimony  of  God. 
This  being  done  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  granted  was 
accomplished,  and  they  ceased.  We  now  invite  attention  to  the 
following:  "For  if  the  word  spoken  by  angels  was  steadfast, 
and  everj*  transgression  and  disobedience  received  a  just 
recompense  of  reward,  how  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great 
salvation;  which  at  the  first  began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord, 
and  was  confirmed  unto  us  by  them  that  heard  Him;  God  also 
bearing  them  witness,  both  by  signs  and  wonders,  and  with 
divers  miraqles,  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  according  to  His 
own  will. — Heb.  2:  2,  3,  4. 

If  language  can  settle  any  point,  this  settles  the  purpose  of 
all  signs,  wonders,  miracles  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that 
were  granted  the  New  Testament  ministry.  They  were  for  the 
purpose  of  confirming  unto  the  people  of  God  the  word  that 
was  spoken  by  the  Lord.  With  the  full  revelation  of  that  word 
God  pronounced  His  work  in  order  to  man's  redemption  perfect. 
With  the  reaching  cf  that  perfection  Paul  affirmed  that  miracles 
w'ould  cease.  I.  Cor.  13:  8— n.  In  the  Ephesian  epistle  it 
affirmed  that  writh  the  delivering  of  the  one  faith  the  church 
would  reach  its  manhood.  We  give  the  following: 

1 .  When   the   church   reached   its   manhood  in  Christ  all 
miraculous  endowments  were  to  cease. 

2.  But  the  church  reached  its  manhood  with  the  perfection 
of  the  revelation  through  Christ. 

3.  Therefore,  with  the  perfection  of  the  revelation  through 
Christ  all  miraculous  endowment  ceased. 

This  authorizes  the  following: 

44 


1.  All  miraculous  endowments   were    to    cease    with   the 
perfection  of  the  revelation  through  Christ. 

2.  But  the  perfection  of  the  revelation  through  Christ  was 
reached  with  the  ministry  of  the  apostles  of  Christ. 

3.  Therefore  since  the  ministry    of    the  apostles  of  Christ 
no  miraculous  endowments  have  been  granted. 

If  any  man  undertakes  a  wrork  and  in  that  work  reaches 
his  own  ideal,  unless  convinced  of  a  mistake,  and  that  an 
improvement  can  be  made  by  an  addition,  subtraction  or 
alteration  at  some  point,  he  will  not  make  any  change  in  that 
work.  That  the  Almight3',  in  the  development  as  revealed  in 
the  New  Testament,  reached  His  own  ideal  in  order  to  man 's 
redemption  is  just  so  certain  as  that  there  is  meaning  in  the 
language  He  used.  "All  Scripture  is  given  by  the  inspiration 
of  Gcd,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction, 
for  instruction  in  righteousness;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works." — II.  Tim. 
3:  16,  17.  Paul's  "All  Scripture"  includes  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  no  more,  no  less.  Here  we  have  perfection  affirmed 
in  point  of  revelation.  Of  the  one  institution  of  God,  the 
church,  the  same  apostle  says:  "And  hath  put  all  things  under 
His  feet,  and  gave  Him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the 
church,  which  is  His  body,  the  fulness  of  Him  that  nlleth  all 
in  all." — Eph.  i:  22,  23.  Again,  "Unto  me,  who  am  less  than 
the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given,  that  I  should  preach 
among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ;  and  to 
make  all  men  see  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the  mystery,  which 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  God,  who 
created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ;  to  the  intent  that  nowr  unto 
the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be  known 
by  the  church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God." — Eph.  3:  8,  9,  TO. 
In  these  Scriptures  it  is  affirmed  that  in  the  Bible  we  have 
perfection  in  revelation,  and  in  the  gospel  as  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament  we  have  the  revelation  of  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ,  that  in  the  NewT  Testament  institution  we  have 

45 


the  fulness  of  God  and  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.  In  the 
one  institution  of  the  New  Testament  and  the  revelation 
contained  in  the  Bible,  we  have  God's  ideal  in  order  to  man's 
redemption.  Did  God  make  a  mistake?  Has  anyone 
convinced  Him  of  an  error?  If  not  He  has  given  no  additional 
revelation  or  made  any  change  in  His  institution  either  by 
addition,  subtraction  or  alteration. 

1.  God  had  nothing  for  man  beyond  his  own  perfection. 

2.  But    the    perfection    of    God    is    embodied '  in  what  is 
revealed  in  the  Bible. 

3.  Therefore,  beyond    what   is   revealed   in  the  Bible  God 
had  nothing  for  man. 

It  is  strange,  remarkably  strange,  that  man  should  seek 
anything  beyond  the  perfection  of  the  Almighty! 

1.  Any  production    beyond    the    perfection    of    God  that 
claims  inspiration  is  a  fraud. 

2.  But  the  Book  of  Mormon  is    a   production  beyond    the 
perfection  of  God  that  claims  inspiration. 

3.  Therefore,  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  a  fraud. 

There  is  no  security  nor  favor  for  any  creature  outside  of 
the  truth  of  God.  If  all  the  creatures  of  God  had  abode  in  His 
truth  there  would  have  been  no  rebellion  in  the  universe,  and 
sin  would  not  have  been  known.  But  Satan  left  the  truth  of 
God  and  became  the  author  of  sin. 

The  Savior  gave  to  man  the  truth  that  was  essential  in 
order  to  the  freedom  of  the  human  soul,  essential  to  the 
sanctification  and  preparation  of  man  for  the  association  of  his 
Creator.  By  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  truth  was 
delivered  by  the  apostles  of  Christ.  Within  that  truth  man  is 
in  the  light  of  God.  So  thorough  and  complete  are  God's 
arrangements  in  that  truth  there  is  no  demand  for  the 
revelation  of  a  single  idea,  on  any  point,  since  the  completion 
of  the  apostles'  work. 


46 


CHAPTER   NINE. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  Divine  arrangements  are  that  our 
faith  should  rest  in  the  power  of  God,  by  resting  in  the  word 
that  the  apostles  delivered.  If  it  should  rest  in  anything  else 
it  cannot  rest  in  God's  power.  God  has  arranged  for  His 
people  to  have  the  strongest  consolation  possible.  The  promise 
to  Abraham,  "In  thee  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be 
blessed, "  is  the  foundation  promise  in  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
\Ve  are  told  that,  in  order  to  our  having  a  strong  consolation, 
God  confirmed  that  promise  with  an  oath,  thus  giving  His 
promise  upon  oath.  The  apostle  says:  "For  God,  when  he 
made  promise  to  Abraham,  because  he  could  swear  by  no 
greater,  swear  by  himself,  saying,  "Verily  blessing,  I  will  bless 
thee,  and  multiplying  I  will  multiply  thee;"  and  so,  having 
steadfast!}-  endured,  he  obtained  the  promise.  For  men,  indeed, 
swear  by  the  greater;  and  their  oath  establisheth  their  word,  so 
that  they  cannot  gainsay  it.  Therefore  God,  willing  more 
abundantly  to  show  unto  the  heirs  of  the  promise  the 
immutability  of  His  counsel,  set  an  oath  between  Himself  and 
them;  that  by  two  immutable  things,  wherein  it  is  impossible 
for  God  to  lie,  we  that  have  fled  [to  Him]  for  refuge  might  have 
a  strong  encouragement  to  hold  fast  the  hope  set  before  us." — 
Heb.  6:  13-18.  Conybeare.  The  Christian  resting  his  faith  in 
the  word  delivered  by  the  apostles,  and  confirmed,  as  recorded 
in  the  New  Testament  rests  in  the  power  of  God,  and  has  as  his 
surety  the  two  immutable  things,  the  promise  and  oath  of  God. 
His  promise  should  be  sufficient,  but  in  our  behalf  He  backed 
His  promise  by  His  oath,  that  our  consolation  might  be  doubly 
strong.  HOWT  strange  it  is  that  people  claim  to  have  faith  in 
God,  but  refuse  to  take  His  testimony  on  oath!  How  the 
warnings  of  God,  though  given  in  Infinite  mercy,  are  unheeded!  ! 
The  first  Christians,  we  are  assured,  continued  steadfastly  in 

47 


the  apostles'  doctrine.  Acts  2:  42.  Through  John  the  Lord 
says  to  His  people:  Whosoever  transgresseth,  and  abideth  not 
in  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  hath  not  God.  He  that  abideth  in  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  hath  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  If  there 
come  any  unto  you,  and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive  him 
not  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed:  For  he  that 
biddeth  him  God  speed  is  partaker  of  his  evil  deeds.  "  II.  John 
9-11.  That  doctrine  being  designed  for  God's  people  till  the 
end  of  the  world,  since  it  was  delivered  by  heaven's  chosen 
ministry,  the  apostles  of  Christ,  not  a  single  revelation  has  been 
granted  to  man,  and  not  a  miracle  has  been  wrought  by  the 
authority  of  heaven.  That  God  never  granted  a  miracle  in 
attestation  of  any  other  doctrine  is  just  so  certain  as  that 
the  Bible  is  true.  And  that  He  never  granted  a  revelation  of 
acceptance  to  anyone  who  refused  to  rely  on  His  testimony  is 
just  as  certain  as  that  the  Bible  is  true.  We  give  the  following: 

1 .  The  doctrine  for  the  people  of   God  is  recorded   in   the 
New  Testament,  and  God  warns  them  against  the   reception  of 
any  other  doctrine. 

2.  But  the  Mormon  doctrine    not    being    recorded   in  the 
New  Testament  it  is  another  doctrine. 

3.  Therefore,  God  warns  His  people  against  the  reception 
of  the  Mormon  doctrine. 

That  some  have,  and  may  yet  receive  an  inspiration;  and 
that  apparitions,  signs  and  wonders  have  been,  and  may  yet  be, 
will  not  be  denied.  But  that  these,  any  of  them,  are  by  the 
authority  of  heaven  is  positively  denied.  But,  upon  the  other 
hand,  that  they  are  all  by  the  working  of  his  Satanic  Majesty's 
power,  in  so  far  as  there  is  anything  beyond  an  epileptic 
affection  or  an  excited  imagination,  we  positively  affirm.  We 
invite  attention  to  the  following  scriptures.  "And  then  shall 
that  Wicked  be  revealed,  whom  Ithe  Lord  shall  consume  with 
the  spirit  of  His  mouth,  and  shall  destroy  with  the  brightness  of 
His  coming;  even  him  whose  coming  is  after  the  working  of 
Satan  with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders,  and  with  all 

48 


deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  in  them  that  perish;  because 
they  receive  not  the  love  of  the  truth  [the  apostles '  doctrine] , 
that  they  might  be  saved.  And  for  this  cause  God  shall  send 
them  strong  delusion;  that  they  should  believe  a  lie;  that  the}' 
all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had 
pleasure  in  unrighteousness." — II.  Thess.  2:  8-12.  Again,  4'For 
there  shall  arise  false  Christs,  and  false  prophets,  and  show 
great  signs  and  wonders;  insomuch  that,  if  it  were  possible, 
they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect. " — Matt.  24:  24.  Once  more, 
"And  the  beast  was  taken  and  with  him  the  false  prophet  that 
wrought  miracles  before  him,  with  which  he  deceived  them  that 
had  received  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  them  that  worshipped 
his  image." — Rev.  19:  20. 

Is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  after  God  had  done  so  much  for 
man,  when  he  will  not  accept  his  Creator's  counsel,  will  not 
rely  upon  His  testimony  though  backed  by  His  oath,  but 
prefers  his  own  imaginations  to  the  testimony  of  God,  that 
delusions  from  the  infernal  regions  should  be  permitted  to  come 
upon  him?  That  Joseph  Smith's  commission,  if  he  had  any, 
was  from  beneath  is  just  as  certain  as  that  the  Bible  is  true. 
By  virtue  of  his  commission,  we  are  told;  he  was  to  restore  the 
TRUE  priesthood.  Well,  what  was  done  to  accomplish  this? 
John  the  Baptist  came  down  from  heaven  to  ordain  Joseph 
Smith  and  Oliver  Cowdery  to  the  true  priesthood!  What 
priesthood?  The  Aaronic!  So,  the  Baptist  laying  his  hands 
upon  them  said,  "Upon  you,  my  fellow-servants,  in  the  name 
of  the  Messiah,  I  confer  upon  you  the  priesthood  of  Aaron.' 
Such  unblushing  impudence  and  downright  lying  might  be 
equaled  by  the  devil,  but  could  not  be  surpassed.  God  had  a 
controversy,  through  Moses,  with  some  of  his  ancient  people 
upon  one  question,  namely,  Was  the  Aaronic  priesthood  to  be 
limited  to  the  tribe  of  Levi,  and  to  the  f  amity  of  Aaron?  The 
Almighty  thought  that  by  the  sinking  into  the  pit  the  company 
of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram,  the  destruction  of  the  fourteen 
thousand,  and  the  budding  of  Aaron's  rod  the  controversy  was 

49 


settled.  See  Numbers  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  chapters. 
Such  angels,  however,  as  visited  the  prophet  of  Mormonism 
could  readily  show  the  mistakes  of  the  God  of  the  Bible! 

The  author  of  the  Hebrew  epistle,  governed  in  his 
utterances  by  the  inspiration  that  was  from  the  God  of  the 
Bible,  gives  us  to  understand  that  the  tabernacle  established  by 
Moses  was,  in  its  priesthood,  its  furniture,  and  its  service, 
shadowy,  hence,  temporal,  and,  as  a  consequence,  to  be 
abolished  in  order  to  the  establishing  of  the  new,  the  perfect 
tabernacle,  the  true  priesthood,  and  the  spiritual  service  in 
Christ.  But,  it  is  said,  "Authors  differ." 

The  truthfulness  of  this  is  shown  by  the  Bible  and  the 
Book  of  Mormon;  for  their  authors  contradict  each  other,  from 
beginning  to  end.  While  Christ  was  on  earth  we  are  told,  Heb. 
8:  4,  He  could  not  be  a  priest,  for  He  was  of  the  tribe  of  Judah. 
Heb.  7:  13,  14.  The  law  was  abrogated,  the  shadowy  priesthood 
was  abolished  and  the  true  priesthood  was  established.  Christ 
was  made  priest,  "Not  after  the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment, 
but  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life. "  The  shadowy  being 
abolished  Christ  was  consecrated  priest  by  the  oath  of  God. 
Thus,  the  priesthood  being  changed,  there  is  made  of  necessity 
a  change  also  of  the  law."  Heb.  7:  12.  The  Aaronic,  the 
temporal,  was  abolished,  the  true  and  everlasting  was 
established.  No,  gentle  reader,  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  because 
He  was  of  the  tribe  of  judah,  could  not  be  admitted  to  the 
Aaronic  priesthood.  But  these  uncircumcised  Gentiles,  Joseph 
and  Oliver,  by  an  angel  from  heaven,  were  ordained  to  that 
priesthood?  !  Can  any  sane  man  really  believe  such  stuff  ? 
Those  who  officiated  in  the  Aaronic  priesthood  were  confined  in 
their  minisirations  to  the  tabernacle  service,  and  beyond  that 
they  had  no  rights  nor  privileges.  Of  the  Christians  it  is  said, 
"We  have  an  altar,  whereof  they  have  no  right  to  eat  which 
serve  the  tabernacle."  Heb.  13:  10.  Those  who  were  clinging 
to  the  Aaronic  priesthood  when  the  Hebrew  epistle  was  written, 
though  according  to  the  law  of  that  priesthood  they  were  in 

50 


their  legitimate  service,  could  not,  by  virtue  of  that  fact,  have 
any  right  to  the  altar  in  Christ.  Why  should  a  professed 
Christian  seek  an  interest  in  a  priesthood  that  would  debar  him 
from  the  privileges  of  a  child  of  God?  !  It  is  positively  certain 
that  the  angel  of  Mormonisrn  was  characterized  by  woeful 
ignorance  or  fearful  dishonesty.  The  Aaron ic  priesthood 
having  answered  its  purpose  it  was  abolished  by  Jesus  Christ, 
and  to  ignore  that  fact  by  seeking  to  perpetuate  that  office  is  to 
ignore  the  positive  authority  of  God. 

The  next  step,  however,  in  order  to  RESTORING  priesthood 
Peter,  James  and  John  appeared  in  order  to  ordain  these  same 
fellows  to  the  Melchizedec  priesthood !  !  Heaven  did  not 
know  that  such  a  wonderful  person  as  Joseph  Smith  was  to 
appear  in  the  Latter  days,  who  would  bring  to  bear  an 
inspiration  superior  to  that  by  which  the  ministry  of  Christ 
spake  and  wrote  ?  !  There  are  several  facts  that  show  the 
statement  of  Mormon  inspiration  regarding  the  ordination  of 
Joseph  and  Oliver  by  Peter,  James  and  John  to  be  an 
unmitigated  falsehood!  Peter  gave  his  unqualified  endorsement 
of  Paul  as  an  inspired  writer.  Feeling  assured  that  the 
endorsement  has  never  been  withdrawn,  we  cite  the  following: 
"For  this  Melchizedec,  King  of  Salem,  priest  of  the  most  high 
God, '  who  met  Abraham  returning  from  the  slaughter  of  the 
kings,  and  blessed  him,  to  whom  also  Abraham  gave  a  'tenth 
part  of  all,  '—who  is  first  by  interpretation,  KING  OF 
RIGHTEOUSNESS,  and  secondly  King  of  Salem,  which  is 
KING  OF  PEACE — without  father,  without  mother,  without 
table  of  descent — having  neither  beginning  of  days  nor  end  of 
life,  but  made  like  unto  the  Son  of  God — remaineth  a  priest 
forever." — Heb.  7:  1-3.  Conybeare.  Here  is  a  priest,  not  of 
the  typical  order,  but  of  the  anti-typical.  As  a  priest  he  was 
made  like  unto  the  Son  of  God.  Our  comments,  however,  upon 
this  language  of  Paul  must  be  reserved  for  the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER  TEN. 

Reverting  to  the  quotation  from  the  fore  part  of  the  seventh 
chapter  of  Hebrews,  we  need  to  remember  that  in  the  language 
of  the  apostle,  in  the  third  verse,  he  has  reference  solely  to  the 
priesthood  of  Melchizedec.  In  his  priesthood,  hence, 
Melchizedec  was  without  pedigree,  without  table  of  descent. 
Therefore,  in  his  priesthood  he  had  neither  predecessor  nor 
successor — none  in  that  priesthood  before  him,  and  none  to 
succeed  him — with  him  it  began,  and  with  him  it  ended.  He 
was  to  his  people,  king,  judge,  leader  and  legislator.  Being  a 
righteous  man  he  reigned  in  peace,  and  in  behalf  of  his  people 
he  officiated  as  ths  priest  of  God.  Thus  in  him  were  combined 
the  priestly  and  the  kingly  functions.  None  before  him  did 
this,  and  none  after  him  did  it,  till  the  Son  of  God,  the  son  of 
man,  having  officiated  as  the  prophet  of  Israel,  became  the 
victim  in  order  to  man's  redemption,  and  ascending  to  heaven 
with  the  blood  of  atonement  was  consecrated  priest  by  the  oath 
of  God,  and  being  seated  on  the  right  hand  of  the  majesty  in 
the  heavens  he  is  a  priest  upon  his  throne.  Zech.  6:  13. 
None  could  be  a  priest  after  the  order  of  Melchizedec  unless  he 
was  a  king,  and  combined  in  himself  the  functions  of  a  ruler 
and  judge  of  his  people,  as  did  Melchizedec,  and  the  Son  of 
God  now  does.  For  such  as  Smith  and  Cowdery  to  claim  to  be 
made  priests  like  unto  the  Son  of  God  is  enough  to  make  the 
demons  blush,  if  there  could  be  blushes  in  hell  !  Let  us 
remember  the  affirmation  of  Paul,  that  Melchizedec,  in  his 
priesthood  was  without  pedigree — neither  predecessor  nor 
successor,  and  then  read  the  following  extract  from  a 

"REVELATION  ON  PRIESTHOOD," 

"A  REVELATION  OF  JESUS   CHRIST  UNTO 

JOSEPH  SMITH." 

'  'And  the  sons  of  Moses  according  to  the  holy  priesthood 
which  he  received  under  the  hand  of  his  father-in-law,  Jethro; 

52 


and  Jethro  received  it  under  the  hand  of  Elihu;  and  Elihu 
received  it  under  the  hand  of  Jeremy;  and  Jeremy  received  it 
under  the  hand  of  Gad;  and  Gad  received  it  under  the  hand  of 
Esaias,  and  Esaias  received  it  under  the  hand  of  God.  Esaias 
lived  in  the  days  of  Abraham  and  was  blessed  of  him — which 
Abraham  received  the  priesthood  from  Melchizedec,  who 
received  it  through  the  lineage  of  his  fathers,  even  till  Noah; 
and  from  Noah  till  Enoch  through  the  lineage  of  their  fathers; 
and  from  Enoch  to  Abel,  who  was  slain  by  the  conspiracy  of 
his  brother  who  received  the  priesthood  by  the  commandment 
of  God,  by  the  hand  of  his  father  Adam,  who  was  the  first  man 
— which  priesthood  continueth  in  the  church  of  God  in  all 
generations,  and  is  without  beginning  of  days  or  end  of  years. ' ' 
Doctrine  and  Covenants,  Pages  223,  224.  Wonderful  revelation! 
Truly,  Mormon  inspiration  is  a  wofully  ignorant  something,  or 
a  miserably  lying  something?  Poor  old  Paul!  He  knew 
nothing  about  priesthood?  !  Look  at  the  chronology  in  this 
modern  revelation.  Caleb  had  been  dead  281  years  when  he 
was  ordained  by  Elihu,  and  Elijah  had  been  dead  542  years 
when  he  was  ordained  by  Jeremy  and  Gad  ordained  Jeremy  1120 
years  before  the  latter  was  born.  Gad  had  been  dead  989  years 
when  he  was  ordained  by  Esaias,  and  Esaias  was  contemporary 
with  Abraham  and  Melchizedec  ! 

When  we  remember  that  ordination  in  Mormon  theology  is 
by  the  imposition  of  hands  we  can  readily  see  the  ridiculousness 
of  this  pretended  revelation.  Melchizedec  could  ordain 
Abraham,  but  neither  of  them,  nor  the  two  together  could 
ordain  Esaias  !  God  had  to  come  and  do  that !  We  invite 
attention  to  Rev.  6:  9-11.  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth 
seal,  I  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were  slain  for 
the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which  they  held:  And 
they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  How  long,  O  Lord,  holy 
and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them 
that  dwell  on  the  earth?  And  white  robes  were  given  unto 

53 


every  one  of  them;  and  it  was  said  unto  them,  that  they  should 
rest  yet  a  little  season,  until  their  fellow  servants  also  and  their 
brethren  that  should  be  killed  as  they  were,  should  be  fulfilled.  " 

Here  in  the  fifth  period  of  the  time  covered  in  the 
apocalyptic  vision  John  saw  the  souls  of  those  that  were  slain 
for  the  testimony  of  Jesus.  The  apostles  were  certainly  among 
the  number  that  were  slain  for  that  testimony.  In  the  fifth 
period  of  the  gospel  dispensation  the  period  preceding  the 
present,  the  apostles  were  in  the  state  of  death.  The  book  of 
Revelations,  we  are  assured,  gives  in  symbol  and  prophecy  a 
history  of  the  church  of  Christ  from  the  commencement  of  his 
reign  to  the  conclusion — a  history,  hence,  when  John  wrote,  of 
things  past,  things  present,  and  things  to  come.  Seven  is  a 
perfect  number,  and  includes  the  whole.  Therefore,  the  seven 
trumpets,  the  seven  seals,  and  the  seven  vials  give  the  complete 
history  of  God's  people  under  Christ.  We  live,  evidently,  in 
the  sixth  vial  area,  answering  to  the  sixth  seal,  and  the  sixth 
trumpet.  The  seventh  will  give  the  consummation.  Remember- 
ing that,  in  the  division  preceding  this  the  apostles  were  in  the 
vStateof  death,  we  call  attention  to  the  following:  "I  must  work 
the  works  of  Him  that  sent  me,  while  it*  is  day;  the  night  cometh, 
when  no  man  can  work." — John  9:  4.  That  the  Lord  here 
refers  to  the  night  of  death  no  one  that  is  informed  will  question. 

Mormonism  says  the  apostles  are  angels  in  heaven  working 
as  messengers  in  Christ's  kingdom,  but  Christ  says  they  are  in 
the  state  of  death,  during  which  state  they  can  do  no  work. 
That  the  apostles  will  attain  to  the  angelic  state  is  a  fact. 
When  will  they  attain  that  state?  "Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the 
scriptures,  nor  the  power  of  God.  For  in  the  resurrection  they 
neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  are  as  the  angels 
of  God  in  heaven. " — Matt.  22:  29,  30.  Not  until  after  the 
second  coming  of  Christ  will  the  aposjtles  be  angels^  Jn_heaven,. 
Angels  always  behold  the  face  of  the  Father  in  heaven.  '  'Take 
heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  little  ones;  for  I  say  unto 
you,  that  in  heaven  their  angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of 

54 


my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,"  Matt.  18:  10.  When  do  you 
expect  to  see  that  face,  John?  "But  we  know  that,  when  He 
shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  Him;  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He 
is. " — I.  John  3:  2.  John  is  not  going  to  be  an  angel  in  heaven 
till  after  Christ's  second  appearing.  When  will  you  attain 
to  that,  Paul?  "That  I  may  know  Him  and  the  power  of  His 
resurrection,  and  the  fellowship  of  His  sufferings,  being  made 
comfortable  unto  His  death;  if  by  any  means  I  might  attain 
unto  the  resurrection  of  the  dead." — Phil.  3:  10,  n.  The 
apostles  cannot  be  ministering  angels  till  after  Christ's  second 
appearing.  Thus  it  is  shown  that  Mormonism  is  founded  upon 
a  falsehood,  in  every  point! 

As  we  have  seen,  in  the  apostles'  doctrine,  we 
have  the  fulness  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ;  in  it,  hence 
we  have  the  Father  and  the  Son.  It  is,  therefore,  that 
in  the  apostles' doctrine  we  have  the  faith  for  the  people  of 
God.  Jude  says;  "Beloved,  when  I  give  all  diligence  to  write 
unto  you  of  the  common  salvation,  it  was  needful  for  me  to 
write  unto  you,  and  exhort  you  that  ye  should  earnestly 
contend  for  the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  unto  the  saints.  " 
What  words  will  we  need  to  keep  in  memory  in  contending  for 
the  faith?  "But,  beloved,  remember  ye  the  words  which  were 
spoken  before  of  the  apostles  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  vs.  17. 
As  the  faith  for  the  people  of  God  gives  the  true  knowledge  of 
God  it  could  only  be  delivered  by  the  Son.  Paul  .says:  "God, 
who  at  sundry  times  and  divers  manners  spake  in  times  past 
unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken 
unto  us  by  His  Son." — Heb.  i:  i,  2.  "These  last  days"  include 
the  days  of  this  dispensation.  Be  it  understood,  therefore,  that 
there  are  no  communications  from  God  in  this  dispensation 
except  what  we  have  through  the  Son — no  divers  manner  of 
communication  in  this  dispensation.  Such  were  pecular  to 
former  times,  times  when  God  spake  to  man  by  prophets.  The 
typical  age  was  a  prophetic  one,  but  this  is  the  anti-typical  age, 
in  which  God  speaks  only  by  His  Son.  The  prophets,  hence, 

55 


through  Elijah  as  their  representative,  surrendered  their 
commission  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  Since,  hence,  that  inspired 
class  of  prophets  that  the  Lord  gave  as  helps  to  the  apostles  in 
their  ministry  passed  away,  there  has  not  been  a  prophet  of  the 
Lord.  Therefore,  as  Paul  declares,  God  does  not  in  this 
dispensation,  speak  in  divers  manners.  As  Christ  gave,  through 
the  inspired  ministry  of.the  New  Testament,  the  perfect  will  of 
God,  it  is  by  the  words  that  he  has  spoken  that  all  are  to  be 
judged  at  the  last  day.  "He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth 
not  my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him;  the  word  that  I  have 
spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  at  the  last  day. " — John  12:  48. 
God  having  given  His  perfect  will  through  Christ,  revelation 
from  Him  closed  with  the  completion  of  the  New  Testament, 
and,  as  a  consequence,  miracles  being  for  the  purpose  of 
demonstrating  and  confirming  his  revelations,  since  the  passing 
away  of  the  inspired  ministry  of  the  New  Testament  there  has 
not  been  a  miracle  nor  vision  from  heaven.  God  having  done 
all  things  possible  for  His  people;  for,  as  we  have  seen,  He  is 
limited  within  His  own  perfections,  giving  them  His  perfect 
will,  thoroughly  demonstrated  to  be  such,  and  giving  them  a 
perfect  institution  that  embodies  his  own  fulness,  assuring  all 
that  it  was  an  exhibition  of  His  own  manifold  wisdom; 
perfecting  and  thoroughly  furnishing  His  people  for  the  mission, 
to  which  they  were  called,  pledging  himself  upon  oath  for  the 
present  and  eternal  salvation  of  all  who  would  accept  of  His 
arrangement  and  be  faithful  to  His  will,  as  a  matter  of  justice 
permits  a  delusion  to  come  upon  all  who  persist  in  impeaching 
His  wisdom  and  honor.  Hence  the  strong  delusion  and  power 
of  which  we  read  in  Thessalonians  and  Revelations.  There- 
fore, if  there  be  anything  in  the  way  of  miraculous  power,  at  the 
present,  or  has  been  in  the  past,  since  the  completion  of  the 
work  of  the  New  Testament  ministry,  it  has  been  by  Satanic 
power,  and  for  the  purpose  of  deception.  If  there  be  anything 
in  the  visions  and  apparations  of  today,  or  in  the  past,  since 
the  close  of  apostolic  ministry,  beyond  a  heated  imagination,  an 

56 


epileptic  affection,  or  animal  magnetism,  it  is  the  working  of 
Satanic  power.  People  see,  or  imagine  that  they  see  visions  in 
the  air.  Some  see  one  kind,  some  another.  All,  however, 
should  remember  that  Satan  is  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the 
air.  In  times  past,  when  angelic  visits,  visions  and  revelations 
were  vouchsafed  to  the  servants  of  God  there  was  no  mistaking 
as  to  where  they  were  from.  And,  we  may  safely  say,  God 
guarded  His  servants  against  deception  in  those  matters.  God 
having  stated  that  miracles  and  prophecies  would  cease  with 
the  perfection  of  the  New  Testament,  and  that  divers  manners 
of  communications  would  not  be  in  this  dispensation,  but  that 
what  he  had  for  man  was  spoken  by  His  Son,  and  having 
pledged  Himself  upon  oath  to  be  with  what  His  Son  delivered 
gives  us  to  understand,  if  people  would  heed  His  word,  as  to  the 
source  of  all  visions  of  modern  times.  All  such,  not  only 
positively  contradict  God's  word,  but  would  make  the  Almighty 
One  a  perjured  being  !  A  proper  respect  for  the  utterances  of 
God  demands  respect  for  His  silence,  and  if  any  are  destitute  of 
the  required  reverence  they  are  liable  to  the  delusions  of  Satan 's 
working. 


57 


CHAPTER  ELEVEN. 

When  the  worlds  and  systems  of  worlds  were  made  there 
was  perfection.  There  were  no  planets  out  of  place  nor  out  of 
shape.  God  did  not  have  to  go  over  His  work  and  make 
improvements  by  additions,  subtractions  or  alterations.  The 
smallest  planet  was  just  right,  in  its  right  place,  and  the 
movements  in  all  the  parts  exhibited  perfection.  When  this 
earth  was  peopled  with  living  creatures  and  man  appeared  as  lord 
of  creation,  no  creature  could  point  to  a  single  mistake,  but  on  the 
other  hand  God  pronounced  all  very  good.  When  Moses  had 
erected  the  tabernacle  according  to  the  pattern  that  God  gave 
there  did  not  need  to  be  patches  here  and  there.  No  Israelite 
could  suggest  an  addition  at  any  point,  as  an  expedient,  but 
for  the  purpose  in  view  the  building  was  perfect.  The  Infinite 
Being  Uas  never  made  a  mistake,  neither  can  He  go  in  anything 
beyond  His  own  perfections.  The  institution  and  the  revelation 
given  through  Christ  being  the  embodiment  of  the  perfection  of 
God  there  could  be  no  addition  to  either  unless  there  could  be 
demands,  in  view  of  man's  spiritual  welfare,  beyond  God's 
perfection.  Such  could  not  be.  Therefore,  since  the  completion 
of  the  New  Testament  there  has  been  no  revelation  from  God  to 
man.  In  view  of  man's  eternal  interest  he  must  be  found 
within  the  perfection  of  God.  "But  whoso  looketh  into  the 
perfect  law  of  liberty,  and  continueth  therein,  he  being  not  a 
forgetful  hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the  work,  this  man  shall  be 
blessed  in  his  deed." — Jas.  i:  25.  There  is  nothing  clearer  than 
the  fact  that  Christ  represents  His  teaching  as  an  embodiment 
of  perfection — the  culmination  of  all  inspiration  and  revelation 
from  God,  and  that  the  eternal  interests  of  all  depend  upon  its 
reception.  Christ  says,  "He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth 

58 


not  my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him;  the  word  that  I  have 
spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day. " — John  12:  48. 
But,  tell  me,  gentle  reader,  what  would  you  think  of  a 
teacher  that  would  appeal  to  you,  and,  in  view  of  your  eternal 
interest,  present  a  system  of  doctrine,  induce  you  to 
believe  that  your  salvation  here  and  hereafter  depended  upon 
your  receiving  and  abiding  in  that  doctrine;  and  further,  to 
believe  that  the  anathemas  of  heaven  would  rest  upon  you  if 
you  received  any  other  doctrine,  then,  after  having  you 
confirmed  in  such  belief,  make  sport  of  and  ridicule  you  because 
of  your  credulity?  Just  such  a  teacher  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is,  if 
the  Book  of  Mormon  be  true  !  !  The  Book  of  Mormon  represents 
the  Lord  as  pleading  in  behalf  of  that  book  in  the  following 
language:  "And  my  words  shall  hiss  forth  unto  the  ends  of 
the  earth,  for  a  standard  unto  my  people,  which  are  of  the 
house  of  Israel.  And  because  my  words  shall  hiss  forth,  many 
of  the  Gentiles  shall  say,  A  bible,  a  bible,  we  have  got  a  bible, 
and  there  can  not  be  any  more  bible.  But  thus  saith  the  Lord 
God:  O  fools  they  shall  have  a  bible;  and  it  shall  proceed  forth 
from  the  Jews,  mine  ancient  covenant  people.  And  what  thank 
they  the  Jews  for  the  bible  which  they  receive  from  them  ?  Yea, 
what  do  the  Gentiles  mean?  Do  they  remember  the  travels 
and  the  labors  and  the  pains  of  the  Jews,  and  their  diligence  unto 
me  in  bringing  forth  salvation  unto  the  Gentiles?  O  ye  Gentiles 
have  ye  remembered  the  Jews,  mine  ancient  covenant  people? 
Nay;  but  ye  have  cursed  them,  and  have  hated  them,  and  have 
not  sought  to  recover  them.  But  behold,  I  wrill  return  all  these 
things  upon  your  own  heads;  for  I,  the  Lord  hath  not  forgotten 
my  people.  Thou  fool,  that  shall  say,  A  bible,  we  have  got  a 
bible,  and  we  need  no  more  bible." — B^-Qf_M.  93:  31-40.  In 
order  to  get  the  real  gist  of  this  pitiful,  special  pleading,  one 
would  need  to  substitute  the  term  gospel  for  the  term  bible  in 
the  above.  It  did  not  take  much  inspiration  to  foresee  that 
people  would  argue  the  sufficiency  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
in  opposition  to  the  claims  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  As  we  have 

59 


seen,  however,  the  New  Testament  contains  the  fulness  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  and  by  the  authority  of  Christ  God's  people 
are  commanded  to  contend  just  as  the  auther  of  the  Book  of 
Mormon  anticipated.  If  a  people  are  a  set  of  fools  for  pursuing 
a  certain  course,  the  teacher  who  would  direct  them  in  such  a 
course  would  be  a  fool,  worse  than  a  fool.  But  Christ  in 
directing  his  people  to  contend  for  the  sufficiency  of  His  gospel 
directs  them  in  a  course  that  none  but  fools  would  go !  ! 
Therefore,  Christ  is  a  fool,  or  worse  than  a  fool.  Such  is  the 
logic  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  This  demonstrates  one  fact, 
namely,  the  spirit  by  which  the  author  of  that  book  was  inspired 
wras  a  lying  blasphemous  spirit ! 

We  now  submit  the  following  emphasized  proposition. 
GOD  DOES  NOT  FURNISH  LIGHT  OR  LIFE  TO  ANY 
OBJECT,  EITHER  IN  THE  SPIRITUAL  OR  MATERIAL 
UNIVERSE  EXCEPT  THROUGH  MEDIATION.  It  is  a 
scientific  fact  that  electricity  is  the  source  of  light  and  heat,  the 
medium,  hence,  of  life  to  all  objects  in  the  material  universe, 
whether  animate  or  inanimate.  God  is  the  fountain  of  life  and 
light.  Through  the  arrangements  of  God  the  necessary  light 
and  heat,  in  order  to  animal  and  vegetable  life  are  distributed. 
While  the  universe  of  worlds  constitute  one  grand  system,  there 
are  millions  of  systems  of  worlds,  each  having  a  common  center 
upon  which  all  the  members  of  the  system  are  dependent. 
These  centers  are  the  mediums  through  which  the  light  and 
heat,  essential  to  each  member  are  distributed.  The  sun  is  the 
common  center  of  this  planetary  system.  It  is  what  astronomers 
call  a  luminous  body.  The  planets,  of  which  our  earth  is  one, 
are  opaque  bodies,  having  no  light  within  themselves,  but  are 
dependent  upon  the  one  luminous  body  for  their  light.  Our  sun 
is,  hence,  in  the  light  of  a  mediator  between  the  members  of  its 
system  and  the  center  of  the  universe.  That  man  or  set  of  men 
who  would  think  of  bringing  the  light  and  heat  essential  to  animal 
and  vegetable  life  direct  from  the  seat  of  the  universe 
independent  of  the  sun  would  be  by  all  intelligent  people, 
considered  insane,  or,  if  possible,  worse. 

60 


As  we  have  learned,  Christ  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega  in  the 
spirit  realm.  It  is,  hence,  that  he  could  say:  "I  am  the  way, 
the  truth  and  the  life;  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by 
me. ' '  As  there  is  no  approach  unto  the  Father  but  through 
the  Son,  there  can  be  no  blessings  from  the  Father  except  they 
come  through  the  Son.  The  secret  of  this  is  given  in  the 
statement  of  Paul:  "For  there  is  one  God,  and  one  mediator 
between  God  and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus." — I.  Tim.  2:  5. 
Christ  being  the  one  mediator,  through  whom  man  must  be 
reconciled  to  God,  he  could  truthfully  say:  "All  power  is  given 
unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth."  There  is  no  power  that 
can  effect  reconciliation  outside  of  the  mediation  of  Christ.  In 
order  to  man 's  reconciliation  God 's  arrangements  are  as  fixed  and 
sure  as  the  throne  of  the  universe. 

The  great  difficulty  has  ever  been  for  man  to  realize  and 
appreciate  the  importance  of  Christ's  mediatorship.  While  the 
arrangement  in  Christ  has  ever  been  a  stumbling  block  to  the 
legalistic  Jew  and  foolishness  to  the  Grecian  mind  it  is  an 
exhibition  of  the  power  and  the  wisdom  of  God.  God  cannot 
be  found  out  of  His  own  wisdom  and  power.  He  cannot, 
therefore,  neither  in  behalf  of  the  alien  nor  the  saint,  be 
approached  except  through  the  mediation  of  Christ.  The 
approach  of  the  alien  in  order  to  reconciliation  to  God,  and 
the  devotions  of  the  saint  in  order  to  the  approval  of  God  must 
be  governed  by  the  authority  of  Christ.  In  order  to  this  all 
must  be  governed  by  the  instructions  of  the  apostles.  As  we 
have  seen,  it  would  be  evil  in  the  sight  of  God  for  His  professed 
people  to  bid  any  God  speed  that  would  come  to  them  with  any 
thing  except  the  apostles'  doctrine.  See  II.  John  6-12.  God, 
in  order  to  the  redemption  of  man,  is  in  Christ,  and  in  order  to 
the  end  in  view  the  apostles  were  commissioned  as  the 
ambassadors  of  Christ  to  the  human  family.  To  them,  hence, 
was  committed  the  word  of  reconciliation.  II.  Cor.  5:  18,  19. 
That  word  being  delivered  by  the  inspiration  of  God,  and 
confirmed  by  miraculous  attestation,  to  it  God  and  Christ  are 

61 


pledged  for  all  time.  Matt.  28:  20.  It  •  is,  hence,  that  John 
could  say:  "He  that  abideth  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  he  hath 
both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  "  That  word  was  from  the  Father, 
by  the  Son  to  the  apostles.  John  17:  8. 

Christ  said  to  His  apostles:  "He  that  heareth  you  heareth 
Me;  and  he  that  despiseth  you  despiseth  Me;  and  he  that 
despiseth  Me  despiseth  Him  that  sent  Me." — Luke  10:  16.  If 
we  ask,  For  how  long  a  time  shall  this  be?  The  answer  is: 
"Unto  the  end  of  the  world."  The  word  embodying  the  will 
of  God  upon  the  subject  of  the  reconciliation  of  the  alien  was  to 
be  first  proclaimed  in  Jerusalem.  See  Isaiah  2:  2,  3.  Micah  4. 
1,2.  As  it  had  been  so  prophesied  when  Christ  gave  the  great 
commission  to  the  apostles  he  commanded  them  to  tarry  in 
Jerusalem  till  they  were  endued  with  the  necessary  power. 
That  the  word  spoken  of  by  Isaiah  and  Micah  embodied  the 
will  of  God  upon  the  subject  of  remission  of  sins  is  shown  by 
the  following:  "Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behooved  Christ 
to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day;  and  that 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  His 
name  among  all  nations  beginning  at  Jerusalem."  Luke  24:  46, 
47.  Upon  this  word  the  Father  and  Son  depend  to  accomplish 
the  desired  end.  Through  Isaiah  the  Lord  said:  For  as  the 
rain  cometh  down  and  the  snow  from  heaven,  and  return eth  not 
thither,  but  watereth  the  earth  and  maketh  it  bring  forth  and 
bud,  that  it  may  give  seed  to  the  sower,  and  bread  to  the  eater; 
So  shall  My  word  be  that  goeth  forth  out  of  My  mouth;  it  shall 
not  return  to  me  void,  but  it  shall  accomplish  that  which  I 
please,  and  it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing  whereto  I  sent  it. '  '- 
Isa.  55:  10,  ii.  Whatsoever  it  was  God's  will  to  accomplish  by 
words  of  inspiration  was  to  be  accomplished  by  the  word  delivered 
by  His  Son.  God  had  no  pleasure  beyond  the  purpose  to  be 
accomplished  in  His  Son.  Therefore  He  had  no  words  for  man 
beyond  what  was  delivered  by  His  Son.  All  other  words  tend 
to  lead  away  from  the  counsel  of  God.  Concerning  the  salvation 
to  be  enjoyed  here,  it  is  said  of  Christ:  "Though  He  were  a 

62 


Son,  yet  learned  He  obedience  by  the  things  which  He  suffered; 
and  being  made  perfect,  He  became  the  author  of  eternal 
salvation  unto  all  them  that  obey  Him.  " — Heb.  5:  8,  9.  As  the 
obedience  required  in  the  proclamation  that  began  at  Jerusalem 
is  an  obedience  to  the  Son  and  brings  into  reconciliation  with 
God  in  Christ,  it  is  the  only  way  whereby  the  alien  can 
approach  God  through  Christ.  An  effort,  hence,  on  the  part  of 
an  alien  to  approach  God  in  any  other  way,  is  an  effort  to 
approach  Him  independent  of  the  mediation  of  Christ.  The 
apostles,  hence,  were  commissioned  to  bear  that  word  to  the 
nations  in  order  to  the  one  end.  To  the  Roman  brethren  Paul 
wrote  as  follows:  "By  whom,  "  that  is,  by  Christ,  "we  have 
received  grace  and  apostleship,  for  obedience  to  the  faith  among 
all  nations,  for  His  name." — Rom.  i:  5.  Again,  "Now  to  Him 
that  is  of  power  to  establish  you  according  to  My  gospel,  and 
the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ  according  to  the  revelation  of  the 
mystery,  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began,  but  now 
is  made  manifest,  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets, 
according  to  the  commandment  of  the  everlasting  God,  made 
known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedience  of  faith." — IB.  16:  25;  26. 
This  obedience  is  an  obedience  to  the  conditions  stated  in  the 
commission.  In  order  to  this  obedience  no  revelation  was 
needed  except  what  is  given  in  the  words  of  Christ.  Therefore, 
in  order  to  the  enjoying  of  eternal  salvation  no  words  are  needed 
except  what  we  have  in  the  apostolic  proclamation.  Another 
revelation  would  necessarily  ignore  the  mediatorship  of  Jesus. 


CHAPTER  TWELVE. 

The  mediatorship  of  Christ  cannot  be  too  clos'ely  and 
thoroughly  studied.  In  order  to  see,  not  only  the  falseness  of 
Mormonism,  but  also  of  every  other  false  system  of  religion  in 
existence,  we  only  need  to  take  a  proper  view  of  the  mediator- 
ship  of  Christ.  He  being  the  mediator  of  the  new  covenant, 
the  one  mediator  between  God  and  man,  He  is  the  power  and 
wisdom  of  God  and  His  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  in  order  to 
the  salvation  of  man,  His  mediatorship  cannot  be  ignored 
without  ignoring  the  infinite  wisdom  of  God.  So  long  as  time 
lasts  the  statement  of  Christ,  '  'No  man  cometh  unto  the  Father, 
but  by  me, ' '  will  hold  good.  As  in  the  obedience  of  faith  by  which 
the  alien  comes  unto  and  is  reconciled  to  God  in  Christ  there  is 
a  transition  from  the  power  of  darkness  into  the  kindom  of  God, 
it  is  called  a  birth.  Under  this  figure  Jesus  anticipating  the 
required  obedience  said:  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 
except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God.  " — John  3:5.  This  language  of  Christ 
is  a  solemn  affirmation,  in  any  court  equivalent  to  an  oath.  At 
this  point  the  oaths  of  the  Father  and  Son  meet.  In  the 
commission  the  Son  promises  salvation  to  all  who  comply  with 
the  conditions  mentioned,  or,  which  is  the  same,  citizenship  in 
His  kingdom.  In  the  language  quoted  from  John  he  testifies 
that  without  such  obedience  no  one  can  be  a  citizen.  His  oath, 
hence,  stands  between  all  aliens  and  the  kingdom  of  God.  Upon 
the  other  hand,  His  oath  is  in  behalf  of  all  who  comply  with 
the  conditions  specified.  When  God  made  promise  to  Abraham 
He  backed  His  promise  by  His  oath.  In  making  that  promise 
God  contemplated  certain  ones  as  heirs  thereto,  and  His  oath  is 
in  behalf  of  such.  Christ's  promise  in  the  commission  could 
not  be  otherwise  than  as  contemplated  by  His  Father  when  the 

64 


promise  was  made  to  Abraham.  For.  surely,  Christ's  promise 
in  the  commission  gives  what  was  contemplated  by  the  Father 
when  he  covenanted  with  Abraham.  That  such  is  the  case  is 
affirmed  in  the  following:  "For  ye  are  all  the  children  of  God 
by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been 
baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ.  There  is  neither  Jew 
nor  Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither  male 
nor  female;  for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  if  ye  be 
Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to 
the  promise. " — Gal.  3,  26-29. 

Those  that  are  the  children  of  God  by  faith  are  those  that 
are  baptized  into  Christ.  Such  being  Christ's  are  Abraham's 
seed,  and  are  heirs  according  to  the  promise.  This  shows  that 
God,  from  the  time  the  promise  was  made,  that  embodied  the 
new  and  everlating  covenant,  was  pledged  upon  oath  to  the 
mediatorship  of  Christ.  This  shows  the  utter  impossibility 
of  any  revelation  coming  between  Christ  and  the  human  family 
and  is  a  demonstration  of  the  truthfulness  of  the  propositions  in 
the  heading  under  which  we  write.  The  two  oaths,  that  of  the 
Father,  and  that  of  the  Son,  meeting  as  they  do,  show  that  all 
heaven,  for  all  time  is  pledged  to  the  mediatorship  of  Christ — 
pledged,  hence,  forever  to  the  will  of  God  as  revealed  through 
Christ.  Not  only  is  such  the  case  so  far  as  the  alien  is  concerned 
but  equally  so  with  the  saint.  They  must  in  their  devotions 
approach  the  Father  through  the  Son.  No  Israelite  dare 
approach  the  Almighty  except  through  the  mediation  of  the 
priest.  Saul  in  time  of  distress  attempted  to  approach  the 
Almighty  direct,  but  for  his  folly  he  lost  his  kingdom.  See 
I.  Sam.  13:  8-13.  Men,  as  Saul  did,  may  force  themselves,  but 
they  will  not  force  the  Father  to  ignore  the  mediatorship  of  His 
Son.  The  command  designed  to  govern  all  saints  in  their 
devotions  is,  "And  whatsover  ye  do  in  word  or  deed,  do  all  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks  to  God  and  the 
Father  by  Him. " — Col.  3:  17.  Nothing  can  be  done  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  except  what  He  has  commanded.  The 


apostle's  injunction,  however,  anticipated  no  authority  except 
what  we  have  through  the  apostles  and  recorded  in  the  New- 
Testament.  If  we  ask,  What  is  essential  in  order  to  the*  saints 
giving  thanks  to  God  through  Christ  the  answer  is  in  the 
following:  "Now  unto  Him  who  is  able  to  do  exceeding 
abundantly,  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think  in  the  power  of  His 
might  which  works  within  us — unto  Him  in  Christ  Jesus,  be 
glory  in  the  church,  even  to  all  the  generations  of  the  age  of 
ages.  Amen." — Eph.  3:  20,  21. — Conybeare. 

To  approach  God  through  the  mediation  of  Christ,  we  must 
approach  Him  in  the  institution  of  which  Christ  is  the  head, 
and  do  so  through  the  rules  and  regulation  that  Christ  gave. 
In  order  to  the  glory  of  God, and  the  eternal  interests  of  humanity 
no  book  is  needed  but  the  Bible,  no  institution  but  the  church, 
nor  any  rules,  except  what  are  contained  in  the  New  Testament. 
The  church  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  given  through  the  ministry  of 
the  apostles,  gives,  in  man 's  behalf,  the  fulness  of,  and  the 
manifold  wisdom  of  God.  Eph.  i:  22,  23,  and  3:  8-10.  Any 
other  institution,  with  other  rules  and  regulations,  would  be 
something  outside  of  the  fulness  and  wisdom  of  God — something 
hence,  in  which  we  could  not  have  the  mediation  of  Christ. 
This  amounts  to  a  positive  prohibition  of  our  accepting  a 
Mormon  institution,  the  Book  of  Mormon,  or  any  revelation 
this  side  of  the  apostles  of  Christ.  'We  are,  hence,  by  the 
authority  of  God  prohibited  from  accepting  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  or  Smith's  revelations.  During  our  recent  debate 
with  a  champion  of  Mormonism  we  asked:  "Is  it  essential  to 
our  salvation  that  we  accept  Joseph  Smith  and  the  Book  of 
Mormon?  Answer  yes  or  no. "  He  would  not  answer.  We 
then  turned  to  him  and  said:  "In  view  of  the  eternal  interests 
of  this  people  I  demand  that  you  tell  us:  "Is  it  essential  to 
our  salvation  that  we  accept  Joseph  -Smith  and  the  Book  of 
Mormon?"  Answer  yes,  or  no.  I  pause  for  a  reply."  We 
waited,  all  eyes  were  fixed  upon  him,  the  audience  sat  in  silent 
suspense,  but  not  a  word  would  he  utter.  We  then  handed  him 
the  following  syllogisms. 

66 


1.  God,  in  order  to  the  salvation  of  man,  does  no  work   of 
supererogation. 

2.  But  Mormonism  not  being  essential  to  the  salvation   of 
man  would  be  a  work  of  supererogation. 

3.  Therefore  God  did  not  give  Mormonism. 
Again, 

1.  We  need  all  that  is  essential  to  salvation. 

2.  But  Mormonism  is  not  essential  to  salvation. 

3.  Therefore,  we  do  not  need  Mormonism. 

As  to  the  purpose  of  God  in  Christ  Paul  says:  "Having 
made  known  unto  us  the  mystery  of  His  will,  according  to  His 
good  pleasure  which  He  hath  purposed  in  Himself;  That  in  the 
dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times  he  might  gather  together 
in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and 
which  are  on  earth;  even  in  Him." — Eph.  i:  9,  10.  Again: 
"For  He  is  our  peace,  who  hath  made  both  one,  and  hath 
broken  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  us;  having 
abolished  in  His  flesh  the  enmity,  even  the  law  of  commandments 
contained  in  ordinances;  for  to  make  in  Himself  of  twain  one 
new  man,  so  making  peace;  and  that  He  might  reconcile  both 
unto  God  in  one  body  by  the  cross,  having  slam  the  enmity 
thereby."  IB.  2:  14-16.  This  one  body,  under  one  head, 
gathered  by  one  gospel,  is  perfected  for  all  that  God  requires  by 
the  one  book — the  Bible.  So  far,  hence,  as  the  purpose  of  God 
in  Christ  is  concerned  neither  the  Book  of  Mormon  nor  any  of 
the  revelations  of  Joseph  Smith  are  needed.  We  now  purpose 
to  show  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  not  only  an  uninspired 
document,  but  also  that  it  is  of  modern  origin — to  demonstrate 
hence,  that  it  is  a  miserable  falsehood,  and  as  a  consequence,  a 
miserable  fraud.  The  first  fact  to  which  we  call  attention  is, 
If  the  Book  of  Mormon  be  true  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  an 
ignoramus,  unacquainted  with  the  Jewish  Scriptures?  !  We 
invite  attention  to  the  following:  "As  many  were  astonished 
at  thee;  (his  visage  was  so  marred  more  than  any  man,  and  his 
form  more  than  the  sons  of  men)  so  shall  he  sprinkle  many 

6? 


nations." — B.  of  M.  411:  76.  This  language  is  in  a  speech  that 
the  Christ  is  represented  as  making  to  his  Nephite  desciples 
after  his  resurrection,  and  purports  to  be  in  a  quotation  made 
from  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah.  It  certainly  will  be  conceded  that 
the  Christ  knew  what  was  in  the  Jewish  Scriptures.  The 
Savoir  and  His  apostles  used,  in  the  main,  the  Septuagint 
version.  It  matters  not,  however,  whether  the  above  quotation 
would  claim  to  be  from  the  Hebrew  or  the  Greek  version  of  the 
Old  Testament,  we  unhesitatingly  affirm  that  no  such  passage 
as  the  above  is  in  either  the  Hebrew  or  the  Greek  version  of  the 
Jewish  Scriptures.  Then  what?  The  quotation  is  from  the  King 
James'  translation  of  the  Bible!  It  is  a  little  strange,  is  it  not, 
that  the  Nephite  Christ  should  use  none  but  the  King  James ' 
translation  of  the  Scriptures  ?  !  The  fact  is,  the  Book  of 
Mormon  is  a  fabrication  of  late  date,  and  its  author  knew  no 
Scripture  except  the  common  version  !  This  shows  it  to  be  a 
miserable  fraud  ! 

Another  fact  that  proves  the  modern  origin  of  the  Book  of 
Mormon  is  its  use  of  modern  terms.  Take  the  term  "Holy 
Ghost."  Where  did  those  ancient  Nephites  get  that?  Such  a 
term  was  not  known  till  the  Anglo  Saxon  corruption  of  the 
term  Guest.  It  never  appeared,  hence,  in  Scripture  until  it 
was  adopted  in  Modern  English  translations  as  an  equivalent 
of  the  Greek  agion  pneumatos.  This  again  shows  that  the 
author  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  knew  nothing  of  matters  divine 
except  what  was  vaguely  gathered  from  the  King  James'  version. 

The  use  of  the  English  abbreviation  "etc.,"  shows  the 
Book  of  Mormon  to  be  of  modern  origin.  This  abbreviation  is 
from  the  L,atin  et  caetera,  "and  the  rest."  It  was  not  used  in 
ancient  manuscripts,  but  known  only  since  the  art  of  printing. 
Such  is  not  God's  method  of  talking.  He  leaves  nothing 
unfinished.  There  is  no  vacuum  in  His  counsel  to  be  filled  by 
human  wisdom. 

Another  demonstration  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  a  fraud 
is  in  the  fact  that  the  Christ  thereof  was  too  ignorant  to  know 

68 


the  difference  between  an  official  title  and  a  given  name.  He 
did  not,  hence,  know  his  own  name.  "Have  they  not  read  the 
Scriptures,  which  say,  Ye  must  take  upon  you  the  name  of 
Christ,  which  is  my  name?"  P.  418:  16.  Christ,  is  an  official 
title,  and  wherever  used  the  definite  article  is  expressed  or 
understood.  He  is  not  a  Christ,  but  THE  CHRIST.  His  name 
is  Jesus. 

He  is  hence,  Jesus  the  Christ.  I  suppose  however,  that  the 
secret  of  this  ignorance,  and  the  necessary  use  of  the  English 
abbreviation,  etc.,  was  because  of  the  forgetfulness,  and  the 
absent  mindedness  of  the  Spirit  by  which  the  Nephite  Christ 
and  their  prophets  spake.  This  is  illustrated,  P.  414:  31 — . 
There  we  are  told  of  something  that  their  inspired  ones  were 
commanded  to  record,  but  they  forgot  to  do  so.  Hence,  it  had 
to  be  mentioned  out  of  its  place  ! 


69 


CHAPTER  THIRTEEN. 

According  to  the  New  Testament  record  after  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus  He  was  with  His  disciples  forty  days.  He  then  lead 
them  out  as  far  as  to  Bethany,  and  He  lifted  up  His  hands  and 
blessed  them.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  He  blessed  them,  He 
was  parted  from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven. "  "And 
while  they  looked  steadfastly  toward  heaven  as  He  went  up, 
behold,  two  men  stood  by  them  in  white  apparel;  which  also 
said,  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven? 
This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so 
come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  Him  go  into  heaven." 
Such  is  Luke's  account  of  the  ascension.  As  he  approached 
the  throne  of  God  the  Father  said:  "Sit  on  my  right  hand, 
until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool?"  Being  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  majesty  in  the  heavens,  we  are  told  that  the 
crown,  for  which  he  endured  the  cross,  and  despised  the  shame 
was  placed  upon  Him.  Being  thus  glorified  His  appearance  is 
that  of  God,  whom  none  in  the  flesh  could  see  and  live.  When 
He  appeared,  hence,  to  Saul  it  was  as  the  glorious  Shekina,  the 
brightness  of  which  eclipsed  the  noonday's  sun.  Saul  was 
permitted  to  see  Him,  but  from  that  time  was  totally  blind,  till 
miraculously  restored  to  sight. 

On  the  day  of  Pentecost,  ten  days  after  the  ascension  of 
Jesus  the  Holy  Spirit  came,  and  the  apostles  were  endued  with 
the  necessary  power  to  qualify  them  as  the  witnesses  for  Jesus. 
Upon  that  day  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit,  Peter  said: 
1  'Therefore  being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having 
received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath 
shed  forth  this,  which  ye  now  see  and  hear. "  The  Holy  Spirit 
did  not  know  that  Jesus  was  just  over  here  in  America  among 
the  Nephites  ?  !  And  of  course  the  appearance  to  Saul  was  all 

70 


for  show;  for  he  could  stand  eight  to  ten  hours  at  a  time  and  let 
the  Nephite  people  thrust  their  hands  into  his  side  !  !  !  People 
that  can  accept  such  stuff  certainly  do  not  reason,  or  they  pride 
in  being  duped. 

Speaking  of  the  day  of  Pentecost  Luke  says:  "And  there 
were  dwelling  at  Jerusalem,  Jews,  devout  men,  out  of  every 
nation  under  heaven." 

1 .  All  the  nations  under  heaven  where  devout  Jews   lived 
were  represented  at  Jerusalem  on  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

2.  But    there    were  no    Jews    there    from  the  American 
continent. 

3.  Therefore    no    devout    Jews    lived    on    the  American 
continent.     Again, 

1 .  The  epistle  of  James  was  addressed  to  the  twelve  tribes 
that  were  scatted  abroad. 

2.  But  the   epistle  of  James    was   not  addressed    to    the 
Nephites. 

3.  Therefore,  the   Nephites   were  not  of  the  twelve  tribes. 
We  now  call  attention  to  the  significant  fact  that  the  author 

of  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  totally  ignorant  as  to  what  it  took 
to  constitute  a  conversion,  either  under  the  law  or  the  gospel. 
The  Lamanites,  it  is  claimed,  in  the  commencement  of 
their  existence  went  away  from  all  that  was  right, 
and  became  a  wild,  ferocious  people,  like  the  wild 
tribes  of  American  Aborigines.  The  Nephites,  it  is  claimed, 
were,  when  they  were  not  heathen,  strict  observers  of  the  law  of 
Moses,  being  Jews.  At  times,  when  they  would  become 
exceeding  good,  they  would. make  strenuous  efforts  to  convert 
the  heathen.  But  when  converts  would  be  made,  did  they 
comply  with  the  requirements  of  the  law?  See  Exodus  12:  48, 
49.  All  knew  that  the  Jews  circumcised  their  converts.  Where 
is  there  an  intimation  in  the  history  of  the  Nephites  that  the}' 
kept  this  Jewish  rite  or  observed  any  of  the  feasts  as  required 
by  the  law?  The  fact  is,  that  the  author  of  the  Book  of  Mormon 
had  no  conceptions  of  conversion,  only  such  as  were  vaguely 
gathered  at  the  exciting  meetings  that  were  common  in  Joseph 


Smith's  boyhood  days  !  Those  Nephite  sermons  were  just  such 
as  Smith,  in  his  younger  days,  would  hear.  If  the  "Ah"  had 
been  used  as  filling  they  would  have  passed  as  good  old 
orthodox  Baptist  sermons.  The  scenes  that  were  common  in 
exciting  meetings  seventyfive  to  one  hundred  years  ago  are 
represented  as  occurring  under  the  labors  of  those  Nephite 
preachers.  Those  that  would  become  concerned  would  go  into 
trances,  and  sometimes  the  preacher  would  pass  under  the 
i  'powers, "  and  lay  for  hours  in  a  prostrate  condition!  The 
exhortations  and  prayers  used  in  modern  revivals  were  uttered  by 
preachers  and  people  then,  and  all  were  attributed  to  the  working 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which,  be  it  understood,  was  enjoyed  in  its 
fulness  by  these  Nephites  hundreds  of  years  before  the  Babe  of 
Bethlehem  was  born  !  !  In  these  Nephite  meetings  they 
appealed  to  Jesus  who  was  then  known  by  His  given  name  and 
hence,  known  as  the  one  mediator  between  God  and  man?  !  As  an 
illustration  take  the  words  and  actions  of  that  imaginary 
woman,  represented  as  being  a  queen.  "O  blessed  Jesus,  who 
has  saved  me  from  an  awful  hell  !  O  blessed  God  have  mercy 
upon  this  people.  And  when  she  had  said  this,  she  clasped  her 
hands,  being  filled  with  joy,  speaking  many  words  which  were 
not  understood. " — P.  228:  105,  106.  That  some  woman  spoke 
and  acted  just  as  here  represented  in  some  of  the  meetings  that 
Smith  attended  we  can  believe,  but  that  any  person  ever  so 
spoke  and  acted  as  represented  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  we 
cannot  believe. 

There  are  several  facts  that  demonstrate  this  Nephite  record 
to  be  a  falsehood  of  the  deepest  dye. 

i.  Christ  was  never  known  by  His  given  name,  JESUS, 
till  so  named  by  the  angel  who  appeared  to  Joseph,  the 
espoused  husband  of  Mary.  Said  the  angel,  "And  she  shall 
bring  forth  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  JESUS;  for  he 
shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins."  "Then  Joseph  being 
raised  from  sleep  did  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord  had  bidden  him, 
and  took  unto  him  his  wife;  and  knew  her  not  till  she  had 

72 


brought  forth  her  firstborn  son;  and  he  called  his  name  JESUS.  " 
—Matt,  i:  21,  24,25.  "And  when  eight  days  were  accomplished 
for  the  circumcising  of  the  child,  his  name  was  called  JESUS, 
which  was  so  named  of  the  angel  before  he  was  conceived  in  the 
womb. " — Luke  2:  21  Poor  Gabriel !  He  evidently  thought  that 
he  had  the  honor  of  naming  the  Son  that  was  to  be  heir  to  David's 
throne.  But  alas,  angels  are  doomed  to  deception  and 
disappointment  as  well  as  men.  Gabriel  did  not  know  that  the 
Nephite  angels,  over  here  in  America,  were  so  far  ahead  of  him! 
As  we  have  seen,  however,  heaven  is  forgetful.  The  Lord, 
hence,  had  forgotten  that  those  Nephite  plates  were  "hid  up 
in  bumora. "  Or,  it  may  be,  the  Lord  had  forgotten  what  was 
on  those  plates!  "Mirabile  dictu.  " 

2.  The  second  fact  that  we  cite  to  show  the  falsity  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon  is  the  fact  that  God  utterly  refused  to  afford 
those  who  had  the  Jewish  Scriptures  anything  additional  in 
order  to  their  conversion.  When  the  rich  man,  spoken  of  in 
the  sixteenth  chapter  of  Luke,  realized  that  his  eternal  destiny 
was  hopelessly  fixed,  he  thought  of  and  desired  the  salvation  of 
his  brothers,  he  is  represented  as  saying  to  Abraham,  "I  pray 
thee  therefore,  father,  that  thou  wouldest  send  him  to  my 
father's  house;  For  I  have  five  brethren;  that  he  may  testify 
unto  them,  lest  they  also  come  into  this  place  of  torment. 
Abraham  saith  unto  him,  They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets; 
let  them  hear  them.  And  he  said,  Nay  father  Abraham;  but  if 
one  went  unto  them  from  the  dead,  they  will  repent.  And  he 
vsaid  unto  him,  if  they  hear  not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither 
will  they  be  persuaded,  though  one  rose  from  the  dead. " — Luke 
16:27-31.  The  rich  man  was  like  those  Mormon  preachers. 
He  thought  that  God  would  afford  man  something  outside  of 
the  divine  arrangement  in  order  to  con  version.  Remember,  those 
Nephites  claimed  to  have  Moses  and  the  prophets,  then  Consider 
the  following: 

The  testimony  of  Christ  being  true  God  did  not  afford  those 
who  had  the  Jewish  Scriptures  anything  additional  in  order  to 

73 


their  conversion.  But  the  testimony  of  Christ  is  true.  There- 
fore; the  record  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  false.  Again,  The 
record  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  being  true,  the  statement  in  the 
Bible  "God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  "  is  not  true.  But  that 
statement  in  the  Bible  is  true.  Therefore,  the  record  in  the 
Book  of  Mormon  is  not  true.  The  trouble  with  those  Nephite 
preachers  was,  they  did  not  know  enough  about  Bible  teaching 
to  distinguish  between  conversion  and  pardon.  They 
confounded  the  two.  Christ  and  his  apostles  taught  as  did  the 
ancient  prophets,  that  conversion  is  the  condition  of  pardon. 
Upon  this  point  the  Savoir  gives  the  following  from  Isaiah  "By 
hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not  understand;  and  seeing  ye 
shall  see,  and  shall  not  perceive;  for  this  people 's  heart  is  waxed 
gross,  and  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  they 
have  closed,  lest  at  any  time  they  should  see  with  their  eyes 
and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their  heart,  and 
should  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them." — Matt.  13:  14, 
15.,  Is.  6:  9.  If  one  would  understand  the  subject  of  conversion 
he  will  need  to  carefully  study  the  quotation  from  Isaiah.  The 
language  not  only  establishes  the  fact  that  conversion 
is  the  condition  of  pardon,  but  gives  the  means  upon  which  God 
depends  for  the  accomplishing  of  a  conversion.  It  also  gives 
the  process  through  which  an  individual  passes  in  a  Bible 
conversion.  When  one  is  brought  to  see  the  beauty  in  the 
counsel  of  God  they  open  their  ears  and  hear  that  counsel,  and 
thus  seeing  and  hearing  they  understand  that  counsel.  Being 
thus  brought  to  an  understanding  of  that  counsel  they  turn  to 
the  Lord.  In  every  instance  where  the  term  convert  occurs  in 
the  Bible  it  means  to  turn,  and  a  conversion  is  a  turning  to  the 
Lord.  Thus  we  have,  in  a  Bible  conversion,  seeing  with  the 
eyes,  hearing  with  the  ears,  understanding  with  the  heart, 
turning  to  the  Lord,  then  receiving  pardon.  The  idea  of  a 
trance  state  in  order  to  salvation  is  of  heathen  origin.  It  has 
been  correctly  said,  "In  heathen  idolatry  we  have  the  vain 
efforts  of  man  to  reach  his  Creator,  but  in  Christianity  we  have 

74 


the  effort  of  God  to  reach  humanity."  To  ask  us  to  believe 
that  a  set  of  preachers  that  would  adopt  the  heathen  idea  in 
salvation  instead  of  the  Bible  teaching  were  inspired  of  God,  is 
asking  too  much.  The  Book  of  Mormon  says  that  the  American 
Indians  were  the  descendants  of  the  Lamanites,  the  children  of 
Lehi,  the  father  of  the  Nephites.  I  wonder  if  the  advocates  of 
that  book  will  say  that  the  savages  of  America  borrowed  their 
ideas  of  a  trance  state  in  religious  exercises  from  those  Nephite 
preachers?  Such  an  idea  was  not  in  America,  according  to  their 
own  authority,  until  the  Nephite  preachers  introduced  it.  With 
those  Indians  in  the  West  that  still  practice  the  ghost  dance  the 
trance  is  very  common.  When  in  their  religious  exercises,  the 
chief  of  which  is  their  ghost  dance,  they  become  excited  to  a 
certain  degree,  they  go  into  a  trance,  lay  prostrate  for  hours, 
then  wake  up  full  of  joy;  for  they  have  been  to  the  happy 
hunting  ground. 


75 


CHAPTER  FOURTEEN. 

3.  The  third  fact  to  which  we  call  attention<  which 
demonstrates  the  falsity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  Repentance 
and  the  remission  of  sins  were  never  preached  in  the  name  of 
Christ  till  the  first  Pentecost  after  His  crucifixion.  It  is 
claimed  by  the  Book  of  Mormon  that  those  Nephite  preachers 
understood  and  preached  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  centuries  before  Christ  was  born.  To  show  the 
utter  falsity  of  such  we  call  attention  to  the  following  Scriptures: 
"And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  that  the  mountain 
of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  established  in  the  top  of  the 
mountains,  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills,  and  all 
nations  shall  flow  unto  it.  And  many  people  shall  go  and  say, 
Come  ye,  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  ta  the 
house  of  the  God  of  Jacob;  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  ways,  and 
we  will  walk  in  his  paths;  for  out  of  Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law, 
and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem." — Isa.  2:  2,  3.  "But 
in  the  last  days  it  shall  come  to  pass,  tjiat  the  mountain  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord  shall  be  established  in  the  top  of  the 
mountains,  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills;  and  people 
shall  flow  unto  it.  And  many  nations  shall  come,  and  say, 
Command  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  and  to  the 
house  of  the  God  of  Jacob;  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  ways,  and 
we  will  walk  in  his  paths;  for  the  law  shall  go  forth  of  Zion, 
and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem." — Micah  4:  i,  2. 
That  the  word  which  was  to  go  forth  from  Jerusalem  was  the 
word  that  embodied  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  in  the 
name  of  Christ  is  affirmed  in  the  following:  "Thus  it  is 
written,  and  thus  it  behooved  Christ  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from 
the  dead  the  third  day;  And  that  repentance  and  remission  of 
sins  should  be  preached  in  his  name  among  all  nations  beginning 

76 


at  Jerusalem. " — Luke  24:  46,  47.  Previous  to  that  time  no 
petition  was  offered  in  the  name  of  Christ.  "Hitherto  have  ye 
asked  nothing  in  my  name:  ask  and  ye  shall  receive,  that  your 
joy  may  be  full." — John  16:  24.  By  the  authority  of  Christ  and 
the  prophets  we  pronounce  the  Book  of  Mormon  a  miserable 
falsehood,  and  as  a  consequence,  a  miserable  fraud. 

4.  The    fourth    fact    to    which    we    call    attention,  as  a 
demonstration  of  the  falsity  of  the    Book    of    Mormon  is,  The 
Holy  Spirit  was  not  given;  and  hence  not  enjoyed  b3'  the  people 
of  God  till  after  Christ's  ascension   and  glorification.     "Never- 
theless I  tell  you  the   truth;   It   is   expedient   for  you  that  I  go 
away;  for  if  I  go  not  away   the  Comforter  will   not  come   unto 
you;  but  if  I    depart    I  will  send  Him  unto  you." — John  16:  7. 
"But  ye  shall  receive  power,  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is   come 
upon  you;  and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me  both  in  Jerusalem 
and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost   parts 
of  the  earth." — Acts  i:  8.     "But  this   spake  he   of   the  Spirit, 
which  they  that  believe  on  Him   should  receive;    for   the   Holy 
Ghost    was    not    yet    given;    because    that    Jesus  was  not  yet 
glorified." — John  7;  39.     It  is  claimed  by  the  Book  of   Mormon 
that  the  Nephite  churches  received  and  enjoyed  the  Holy  Spirit 
long  before  Christ  was  born,  just   the  same   as  the  disciples  of 
Christ  received  and  enjoyed  it  on  and  after  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

It  is  plainly  to  be  seen  that  the  two  books  cannot  be 
reconciled.  If  the  Book  of  Mormon  be  true  the  Bible  is  false. 
But  the  Bible  is  true.  Therefore  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  fdlse. 

5.  The    fifth    fact    to    which    we    call     attention,    as    a 
demonstration  of  the  falsity    of    the    Book    of    Mormon  is  the 
modern  style   of  the   sermons  put   into  the  mouths    of    those 
Nephite  preachers.     Those  Nephites  be  it  remembered,  claimed 
to  be  genuine  Jews.     Till  the  time   of   the  beginning  of  John 's 
ministry,  however,  Moses   was  preached.     The    apostle  James 
said;  '  'For  Moses  of  old  time  hath  in  every  city  them  that  preach 
him,  being  read  in  the  synagogues  every  Sabbath   day.  "     Acts 
15:  21.     It   mattered    not    whether   the    pious    teacher   in  the 

77 


synagogue  read  the  lesson  from  the  writings  of  Moses  or  from 
some  one  of  the  prophets,  the  necessity  and  importance  of 
observing  the  law  was  strictly  enjoined.  Such  was  not  the 
manner  of  those  Nephite  preachers.  Their  style  was  very 
modern,  and  the  Ashdodish  language  used  shows  their  author 
to  be  an  ignoramus.  One  that  knew  little  about  either  the  law 
or  the  gospel. 

6.  The  sixth  fact  that  we  c  ite,  as  a  demonstration  of  the 
falsity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  is,  Those  Nephite  preachers 
claimed  to  understand  the  nature  and  design  of  the  incarnation, 
the  nature  and  extent  of  the  atonement.  Something  that  neither 
angel  nor  man  knew  till  after  Christ  was  glorified. 

"And  without  controversy  great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness; 
God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of 
angels,  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world, 
received  up  into  glory." — I.  Tim.  3:  16.  A  mystery  is  a  secret. 
Here  is  something  that  was  a  great  secret.  When  unfolded  it 
confounded  the  wise  of  earth.  Of  it  Paul  says,  "Unto  me,  who 
am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given,  that  I 
should  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ;  And  to  make  all  men  see  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the 
mystery,  which  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been  hid 
in  God." — Eph.  3:  8,  9.  "Now  to  him  that  is  of  power  to 
establish  you  according  to  my  gospel,  and  the  preaching  of 
Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  revelation  of  the  mystery,  which 
was-  kept  secret  since  the  world  began,  But  now  is  made  manfest, 
and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according  to  the 
commandment  of  the  everlasting  God,  made  known  to  all 
nations  for  the  obedience  of  faith." — Rom.  16:  25,  26. 

These  statements  of  Paul  are  as  positive  a  contradiction  of 
the  claims  of  those  Nephite  preachers  as  it  would  be  possible  to 
give  in  language.  As  to  men  or  angels  possessing  the 
knowledge  that  those  Nephites  claimed,  Peter  testifies  as  follows: 
"Of  which  salvation  the  prophets  have  enquired  and  searched 
diligently,  who  prophesied  of  the  grace  that  should  come  unto 

78 


you;  Searching  \vhat  or  what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
which  was  in  them  did  signify,  when  it  testified  beforehand  the 
sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow.  Unto 
whom  it  was  revealed  that  not  unto  themselves,  but  un.to  us 
they  did  minister  the  things,  Which  are  now  reported  unto  you 
by  them  that  have  preached  the  gospel  unto  you  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven;  which  things  the  angels  desire 
to  look  into." — I.  Peter  1:  10-12. 

Other  quotations  might  be  given  that  embody  the  same 
affirmation.  These,  however,  are  sufficient.  These  show  the 
utter  impossibility  of  reconciling  the  two  books.  If  the  New 
Testament  be  true  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  false. 

7.  The  seventh  item  to  whtch  we  call  attention,  which 
demonstrates  the  falsity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  is  the  record 
concerning  the  churches,  said  to  be  established  by  those  Nephite 
preachers.  That  record  says,  "And  he  fastened  on  his  head 
plate,  and  his  breast-plate  and  his  shields  and  girded  on  his  armor 
about  his  loins;  and  he  took  the  pole,  which  had  on  the  end  there- 
of his  rent  coat  (and  he  called  it  the  title  of  liberty)  and  he  bowed 
himself  to  the  earth,  and  he  prayed  mightily  unto  his  God  for  the 
blessings  of  liberty  to  rest  upon  his  brethren  so  long  as  there 
should  be  a  band  of  Christians  remain  to  possess  the  land;  for 
thus  were  all  the  true  believers  of  Christ,  who  belonged  to  the 
church  of  God,  by  those  who  did  not  belong  to  the  church,  and 
those  who  did  belong  to  the  church,  were  faithful;  yea,  all 
those  who  were  true  believers  in  Christ,  took  upon  them,  gladlj-, 
the  name  of  Christ,  or  Christians,  as  they  were  called,  because  of 
their  belief  in  Christ,  who  should  come;  and  therefore,  at  this 
time,  Moroni  prayed  that  the  cause  of  the  Christians,  and  the 
freedom  of  the  land  might  be  favored." — P.  288:  31.  In  order 
to  believe  this  record  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  we  would  be  forced 
to  pronounce  the  Bible  record  false.  Long  before  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  was  born,  if  we  are  to  credit  this  Nephite  record, 
churches  of  Christ  were  established,  and  the  members  thereof 
were  called  CHRISTIANS!  Christ  said  to  His  disciples:  "Upon 

79 


this  rock  I  will  build  my  church." — Matt.  16:  18.  Evidently 
Christ  did  not  know  that  those  Nephite  preachers  had  established 
that  institution  long  before  He  was  born!  Surely,  the  Lord  did 
not  know  anything  about  those  plates  that  were  "hid  up"  for 
Joseph  Smith 's  use?  !  We  had  been  wont  to  credit  the  testimony 
of  Luke,  "The  beloved  physician."  This  Nephite  record, 
however,  being  true,  Luke  is  altogether  unreliable.  He  says- 
."And  the  disciples  were  called  Christians  first  in  Antioch." — 
Acts  1 1 :  26.  This  record  is  either  true  or  false.  If  true,  however 
the  Book  of  Mormon  is  false,  from  beginning  to  end.  Gabriel, 
Raphael,  Michael,  nor  any  of  the  angelic  hosts  that  ministered 
to  God's  ancient  worthies  could  know  what  was  embodied  in 
the  Hebrew  term  MESSIAH.  The  holy  seers  searched  and 
diligently  inquired,  but  it  was  not  for  them  to  know. 
Cherubim  and  seraphim  gazed  with  wondering  admiration  and 
longed  to  penetrate  the  great  secret  represented  by  the  mere}- 
seat  around  which  the  golden  bells  of  Israel's  high  priests 
jingled,  as  they  ministered  in  the  holiest  of  holies,  and  sprinkled 
the  blood  of  atonement.  But  the  great  secret  was  hid  in  God 
through  the  former  ages.  Truly,  it  does  seem,  had  the  Book  of 
Mormon  been  written  purposely  to  prove  the  Bible  to  be  a  huge 
lie  its  claims  would  have  been  more  honorable  than  what  they 


are 


We  had  been  wont  to  believe,  from  the  New  Testament 
record,  that  When  the  church  of  Christ  was  established  the 
names  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb  were  in  its  foundations. 
Rev.  21 :  14.  From  the  Book  of  Mormon,  however;  we  learn 
that  those  Nephites  established  that  institution  long  before 
those  apostles  were  born;  and  that  regardless  of  any  foundation! 

What  arrangement  was  there  in  the  divine  economy  for 
those  Nephite  institutions?  Remember,  the  Nephites  claimed 
to  be  strict  observers  of  the  law  of  Moses.  Are  there  provisions 
in  that  law  for  such  institutions  ?  No.  They,  though  the 
center  of  their  religious  interests,  were  a  violation  of  the 
command  of  God.  "Ye  shall  not  add  unto  the  word  which  I 

80 


command  you,  neither  shall  ye  diminish  ought  from  it,  that  ye 
may  keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  your  God  which  I 
command  you." — Deut.  4:  2.  "What  thing  sover  I  command 
you,  observe  to  do  it;  thou  shalt  not  add  thereto,  nor  diminish 
from  it."  IB.  12:  32.  "And  it  shall  be  our  righteousness,  if  we 
observe  to  do  all  these  commandments  before  the  Lord  our  God, 
as  he  hath  commanded  us." — IB.  6:  25.  To  be  righteous  under 
the  law  they  had  to  do  just  what  was  commanded,  and  just  as 
commanded.  Measured  by  this  standard  those  religious 
Nephites  were  an  unrighteous  people;  for  they  claimed  to  observe 
the  law,  but  their  religious  interests  were  in  institutions 
unauthorized  by  the  law.  These  institutions  that  are  so  highly 
commended  by  the  Book  of  Mormon  being  without  any 
covenanted  provisions  of  God,  were  without  any  authority  from 
God;  and  as  a  consequence  were  entirely  outside  of  the 
arrangements  of  God.  We  submit  the  following: 

1.  All  religious  arrangements  and  institutions   outside   of 
the  covenanted  provisions  of  God  are  of  the  devil. 

2.  But  those  Nephite  arrangements  and   institutions   were 
outside  of  the  covenanted  provisions  of  God. 

3.  Therefore,  those  Nephite  arrangements  and  institutions 
were  of  the  devil. 

Again: 

1 .  All  books  written  for  the  specific  purpose  of  upholding 
religious  institutions  and  arrangements  outside  of  the  covenanted 
provisions  of  God  are  of  the  devil. 

2.  But  the  Book  of  Mormon  was   written  for  the   purpose 
of  upholding  religious  institutions  and  arrangements  outside  of 
the  covenanted  provisions  of  God. 

3.  Therefore  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  of  the  devil. 

The  record  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  regarding  these  Nephite 
churches  gives  the  lie  to  the  word  of  God  in  every  particular. 
When  one  attained  to  the  position  of  a  Christian  he  attained  to 
the  liberty  of  a  son  that  has  reached  his  maturity.  To  this  no 
Jew  could  attain  under  the  law.  Upon  this  point  Paul  says: 

81 


"Now  I  say,  th&t  the  heir,  as  long  as  he  is  a  child,  differeth 
nothing  from  a  servant,  though  (prospectively)  he  be  lord  of  all; 
but  is  under  tutors  and  governors  until  the  time  appointed  of 
the  Father;  (Of  course  those  Nephites  just  let  the  Father  know 
that  they  would  pay  no  attention  to  his  appointment,  as  to  time.) 
Even  so,  we  when  we  were  children,  were  in  bondage  under  the 
elements  (rudiments  or  first  principles)  of  the  world;  But  when 
the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made 
of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that 
were  under  the  law  that  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of 
sons." — Gal.  4:  1-5.  If  we  admit  the  existence  of  churches 
among  those  Nephites,  there  being  no  provisions  in  the 
divine  arrangement  for  them,  they  would  be  human 
founded  in  human  wisdom,  and  governed  by  -human  authority. 
\Ve  submit  the  following: 

1.  All  worship  in  religious  institutions  being  governed  by 
human  wisdom  is  will  worship. 

2.  But  those  Nephite  churches,  having  no  divine  authority 
for  their  existence  were  human  and  governed  by  human  wisdom. 

3.  Therefore,  all  worship  in  the  Nephite  churches  was  will 
worship. 

Again: 

1.  In  human  institutions,  there    being    a    substitution  of 
human  wisdom  for  the  divine,  the  worship  therein  is  idolatrous. 

2.  But  those  Nephite  churches  were  human,    and  in  them 
there  was  a  substitution  of  human  wisdom  for  the  divine. 

3.  Therefore  the  worship    in  the    Nephite    churches    was 
idolatrous. 


82 


CHAPTER   FIFTEEN. 

Assuming  that  the  Bible  is  true,  enough  has  been  given  to 
demonstrate  the  falsity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Yet,  that  the 
strength  of  what  has  been  presented  may  more  readily  be  seen 
we  purpose  to  consider,  to  some  extent,  the  claims  of  Christianity 
as  a  system.  This  we  need  to  do,  if  we  would  see  the  claims  of 
the  New  Testament  in  their  true  light.  In  the  investigation, 
hitherto,  of  theological  positions,  questions  and  systems,  there 
has  been  to  a  great  extent,  a  mere  grappling  with  particles, 
rather  than  the  handling  of  systems. 

Theological  discussions  should  be  such  as  to  bring  before 
the  people  the  merits  of  systems.  When  such  is  not  the  case, 
there  is,  as  a  rule,  a  contention  over  side  issues.  In  such 
contentions,  there  is,  to  a  great  extent,  a  mere  war  of  words. 
Those  who  are  conscious  of  occupying  the  vantage  ground  of 
truth  can  well  afford  to  avoid  all  appearances  of  hiding  counsel 
by  a  multitude  of  words. 

If  Christianity  is  not,  as  a  system,  perfect  and  complete,  it 
claims  will  have  to  be  surrendered.  Unhesitatingly  we  say, 
If  in  Christianity,  as  a  system,  we  do  not  have  perfection,  the 
claims  of  the  Bible  will  have  to  be  surrendered.  Perfection 
cannot  be  supplemented.  It  cannot  admit  of  addition, 
subtraction,  nor  alteration.  If  in  Christianity,  as  a  system,  we 
do  not  have  perfection,  it  is  an  imperfect  system.  God  designed 
the  perfection  of  His  people,  and  there  is  not  a  proposition  more 
clearly  set  forth  in  the  New  Testament  than  this  proposition: 
The  divine  arrangement  was  given  in  order  to  the  perfection  of 
all  who  would  accept  of  the  offered  salvation.  Christ  prayed 
that  His  people  might  be  made  perfect  in  one,  that  is,  in  one 
institution — the  institution  of  which  Christ  is  the  head.  John 
17:  20-23.  Paul  says  the  scriptures  of  inspiration  were  given 

83 


that  God's  people  might  be  perfected.     II.  Tim.  3:  16,  17. 

If  however,  God  depended  upon  an  imperfect  system  to 
accomplish  a  perfect  end,  He  did  what  no  wise  being  would  do. 
We  must,  hence,  admit  the  perfection  of  the  remedial  system, 
as  given  by  Christ,  or  accuse  the  Almighty  of  folly  !  We  could 
not  expect  the  Almighty  to  admit  the  incompleteness  of  His 
own  perfection,,  and  the  man  that  would  argue  such  would  be 
guilty  of  fearful  presumption.  We  could  not  think  of  Christ  as 
a  perfect  Savior,  yet  the  author  and  head  of  an  imperfect 
institution?  God  is,  in  the  absolute,  perfection,  and  his 
arrangements,  in  order  to  the  end  in  view,  are  perfection.  As 
we  have  seen,  in  Christ,  God's  arrangement  reached  its 
perfection.  The  institution  of  the  Christ  is  a  perfect  institution 
with  a  perfect  law,  giving  to  man  the  perfect  will  of  God.  In 
order  to  man's  redemption,  we  have  in  the  institution  of  Christ, 
the  perfection  of  God's  infinite  wisdom,  infinite  goodness, 
infinite  love,  infinite  mercy  and  infinite  power.  What  folly  in 
man  to  seek  anything  beyond  this  !  This  perfection  was  not 
reached,  and  could  not  be  till  the  perfection  of  God's 
arrangements  in  order  to  that  end.  Until  the  perfection,  hence, 
of  those  arrangements,  the  church  of  Christ  did  not  exist.  To 
argue  as  Mormons  do,  and  as  the  Book  of  Mormon  teaches,  the 
existence  of  the  church  of  Christ  under  the  law,  is  to  argue  in 
opposition  to  every  truth  and  fact  in  the  Bible,  bearing  upon 
this  point.  None  but  a  false  sytem  could  demand  ^uch.  The 
reorganized  branch  of  the  Mormon  family  claim  to  oppose 
polygamy.  In  our  recent  debate  with  them  we  asked:  "Did 
the  true  church  of  Christ  exist  with  the  Jews  in  the  days  of 
David  and  Solomon?"  The  answer  was:  "Yes."  "Then," 
said  I,  "As  the  church  of  Christ  anciently  was  a  polygamous 
church,  polygamy  is  a  tenet  of  the  true  church  of  Christ. 
Therefore  in  opposing  polygamy  you  oppose  the  principles  of 
the  true  church.  This  surrenders  the  claims  of  your  reorganized 
Church  and  admits  the  claims  of  the  Utah  branch. "  From  this 
there  was  no  escape. 

84 


There  are  certain  fundamentals,  without  which  we  cannot 
have  a  system  of  religion.  These  fundamentals  are,  the  priest, 
the  altar  and  the  offering.  From  the  beginning  these  have 
been  the  essentials  in  order  that  man  might  approach  unto  God. 
For  an  omission  in  these,  Cain  was  rejected.  The  priests,  altars, 
and  offerings  of  former  times  were  only  shadowy.  As  typical 
institutions  they  answered  this  purpose.  No  type,  however, 
could  ever  answer  the  purpose  nor  take  the  place  of  the  antitype. 
With  typical  blood,  a  typical  institution  could  be  dedicated. 
Hence,  with  the  blood  of  animals  Moses  dedicated  the  first 
Testament.  With  such  blood,  however,  the  perfect  institution 
of  God  could  not  be  dedicated.  If  it  could  have  been  there 
would  have  been  no  necessity  for  the  death  of  Christ.  Speaking 
of  the  dedication  of  the  first  covenant,  and  the  tabernacle 
belonging  thereto,  Paul  says:  "It  was,  therefore,  necessary 
that  the  patterns  of  heavenly  things  should  thus  be  purified, 
but  the  heavenly  things  themselves  with  better  sacrifices  than 
these." — Heb.  9:  23.  Again,  "Having  therefore,  brethren, 
boldness  to  enter  the  holy  place  through  the  blood  of  Jesus  by  a 
new  and  living  way  which  he  hath  opened  for  us,  passing 
through  the  veil  (that  is  to  say  his  flesh);  and  having  an  High 
Priest  over  the  house  of  God;  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true 
heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith:  as  our  hearts  have  been 
'sprinkled'  from  the  stain  of  an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies 
have  been  washed  with  pure  water." — Heb.  10:  17-22.  This 
new  and  living  way  was  opened  through  the  offerings  of  Christ 
— opened  after  Christ  was  consecrated  High  Priest  over  the 
house  of  God.  This  was  after  his  ascension  to  heaven.  Heb. 
8:  4.  The  perfecting  of  the  arrangement  in  order  to  the  opening 
of  the  perfect  institution  of  God  was  through  the  sufferings  of 
Christ.  "And  though  he  was  a  Son,  yet  learned  he  obedience 
by  suffering.  And  when  his  consecration  was  accomplished,  he 
became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey 
Him."— Heb.  5:8,  9. 

Christ  being  the  antitype    of   all   former  altars,  priests  and 

85 


offerings,  that  were  by  the  authority  of  God,  in  Him  we  have 
our  altar,  our  priest,  and  our  offering.  It  is,  hence,  that  we 
cannot  come  to  God  except  through  Him.  To  argue  as  the 
Book  of  Mormon  teaches,  and  as  Mormon  preachers  contend, 
that  the  perfect  institution  of  God  existed  in  the  typical 
arrangement  is  to  show  a  woeful  ignorance  of  the  economy  of 
grace.  To  argue  the  claims  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  one  must 
be  profoundly  ignorant  of  or  ignore  the  arrangement  of  God  in 
Christ!  Having  demonstrated  the  fact  that  the  Bible  and  the 
Book  of  Mormon  can  not  be  reconciled,  we  purpose  a  brief 
inquiry  as  to  the  origin  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  That  book 
claims  to  be,  in  the  mam,  the  history  of  two  peoples,  the 
Aboriginese  of  America.  They  were,  it  is  claimed,  the 
descendents  of  one  Lehi,  a  Hebrew,  who  left  Jerusalem  about 
B.  C.  600.  This  history,  it  is  claimed,  was  written  on  metal 
plates,  and  in  the  Egyptian  language.  It  is  also  claimed  .that 
Lehi  brought  with  him  from  Jerusalem  the  metal  plates  that 
contained  his  family  record  written  in  the  same  language.  It 
is  also  claimed  that  he  brought  with  him,  from  Jerusalem, 
metal  plates  that  contained  the  Jewish  Scriptures  and  records 
down  to  about  the  time  of  the  Babylonish  captivity.  It  is  also 
claimed  that  the  northern  portion  of  South  America  and  Central 
America,  were  densely  populated  by  Lehi's  descendants,  and 
that  a  highly  Christian  civiltzation  existed  there  1500  to  2000 
years  ago. 

Orsan  Pratt  says:  "In  the  Book  of  Mormon  are  given  the 
names  and  locations  of  numerous  cities  of  great  magnitude, 
which  flourished  among  the  ancient  nations  of  America.  The 
northern  portions  of  South  America,  and  also  Central  America, 
were  the  most  densely  populated. — D.  A.,  p.  32.  The  Book  of 
Mormon  claims  that  extensive  records  were  kept  by  this  people 
in  which  their  history  was  written.  P.  340:  10.  It  is  also 
claimed  by  the  Book  of  Mormon  that  these  historical  records 
were  in  the  Egyptian  language.  P.  444:  89.  It  is  also  claimed 
by  the  Book  of  Mormon  that  the  money  of  these  ancient 

86 


inhabitants  of  America  was  in  gold  and  silver  coins.  P.  206  : 
38,  39.  These  claims  of  Mormonism  call  for  a  consideration  of 
the  following  questions: 

1 .  Did  the  Jews  ever  keep  their  records  on  metal  plates? 

2.  Did  the  original  inhabitants  of  Central    America    keep 
their  records  on  metal  plates? 

3.  Did  the  ancient  inhabitants   of   Central    America  have 
a  written  language? 

4.  If  any  of  those  nations   had  a  written  language  1500  to 
2000  years  ago,  was  it  the  Egyptian  language? 

5.  Did  any  of  those  nations  have   money  in    the  shape  of 
gold  and  siver  coins? 

6.  Is  there  any  evidence  that  any  of  the  ancient  inhabitants 
of  Central  America  ever  enjoyed  a  Christian  civilization? 

7.  Were  the   engravings   on   those    plates    claimed  to  be 
found  by  Joseph  Smith  in  the  Egyptian  language? 

We  are  prepared  to  give  an  answer  to  all  of  these  questions, 
but  the  answers  demonstrate  the  falsity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
The  following  questions  were  propounded  to  a  number  of 
scholars  of  world-wide  reputation: 

1 .  Is  it  historically  true  that  the  Hebrews  ever   wrote   on 
tablets  or  "plates  of  brass?" 

2.  If  so,  did  they  ever  write  in  the  Egyptian  language? 

3.  Were  the    "five  books  of  Moses"    ever    written   upon 
such  plates  of  brass? 

4.  Were  the  "law  and  the  prophets"  or  any  portion  of  them 
ever  written  in  Egyptian? 

To  these  questions  William  R.  Harper,  President  Chicago 
University  said:  "To  your  first  three  question  I  would  give  the 
answer,  No.  With  regard  to  the  fourth,  the  Pentateuch  was 
transmitted  in  Coptic  some  time  between  the  third  and  tenth 
centuries,  A.  D.,  but  was  never  written  in  Egyptian  before  that 
time. ' '  Ira  Maurice  Price,  Ph.  D. ,  of  the  University  of  Chicago, 
said:  "There  is  no  such  instance  on  record  among  the  Hebrews 
nor  among  other  nations  about  the  Hebrews.  No  evidence  that 

87 


they  ever  did  write  in  the  Egyptian  language."  President 
James  B.  Angell,  University  of  Michigan,  said:  "There  is  no 
evidence  that  the  Hebrews  kept  their  records  upon  plates  or 
tablets  of  brass.  There  is  no  evidence  whatever  to  show  that 
the  Pentateuch  was  ever  written  on  such  plates  of  brass." 
(Copied  from  "Doctrines  and  Dogmas  of  Mormonism. ")  The 
men  who  furnished  the  above  answers  represent  the  scholarship 
of  the  world.  Their  testimony  establishes  certain  iacts,  namely, 

1 .  The    Hebrews    never  kept    their  records  on  tablets  of 
brass. 

2.  No  Hebrew  records  were  ever  kept  on  tablets   of   brass, 
nor  any  other  substance,  in  the  Egyptian  language. 

3.  The  Pentateuch  was   never  written    in    the    Egyptian 
language  before  300  A.  D. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  opens  with  the  statement  that  the 
language  in  which  it  was  written  was  the  Egyptian;  and  that 
such  was  the  language  of  Lehi.  Who  was  Lehi?  A  Hebrew, 
bred,  born  and  reared  in  Jerusalem.  The  language  of  any  man 
is  his  native  tongue.  Lehi,  being  a  Jew,  born  and  reared  in 
Jerusalem,  his  language  was  the  native  tongue  of  the  Jewish 
nation.  We  are,  hence,  to  understand  that  the  native  tongue 
of  the  Hebrew  nation  was  the  Egyptian?  !  There  is  evidenced 
at  the  very  threshold  of  Mormonism,  either  an  ignorance 
inexcusable,  or  a  design  to  deceive  that  is  damnable. 

Our  second  and  third  questions  are:  "Did  the  original 
inhabitants  of  Central  America  keep  their  records  on  metal 
plate?"  and  "Did  they  have  a  written  language?"  These 
questions  we  answer  together.  We  are  able  to  show  the 
characters  used  in  the  writings  of  the  inhabitants  of  Central 
America  1500  to  2000  years  ago.  They  have  been  preserved  in 
marble  and  stone,  and  will  stand  till  the  end  of  time,  an 
inrefutable  testimony  to  the  falsity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
In  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  cities  of  Copan  and  Palenque,  of 
Central  America,  we  are  told,  '  'are  found  in  abundance  the 
strange  hieroglyphics,  the  written  language  of  the  people  who 

88 


once  inhabited  those  old  cities. "  Over  ruined  doorways,  arches, 
sides  and  backs  of  hideous  idols,  marble  slabs  and  through  the 
ruins  of  heathen  temples  these  characters  are  to  be  seen.  Mr. 
Short  says:  "The  magnificent  sculptured  hieroglyphics  which 
cover  the  sides  and  backs  of  these  huge  idols  no  doubt  could 
tell  the  sealed  story  of  Copan  's  greatness  and  the  attributes  of 
its  many  gods,  were  the  keys  once  discovered.  Everything  is 
covered  with  these  significant  symbols,  differing  slightly  from 
those  at  Palenque;  but  who  will  read  them?  In  the  court  of 
the  temple  a  solid  block  of  stone  six  feet  square  and  four  feet 
high,  resting  on  four  globular  stones,  was  sketched  by 
Catherwood  and  pronounced  an  altar  by  Stephens.  Sixteen 
figures  in  profile,  with  turbaned  heads,  breastplates  and  each 
seated  crosslegged  on  hieroglyphic-like  cushions,  are  sculptured 
in  low  relief,  four  figures  being  on  each  side  of  the  block. 
The  top  of  the  altar  is  covered  with  thirty -six  squares  of 
hieroglyphics."  American  Ant.  pp.  404,  405. 


89 


CHAPTER  SIXTEEN. 

The  ancient  Mayas  were  the  sole  occupants  of  a  portion  of 
Central  America,  and  the  most  civilized  of  any  of  the  ancient 
inhabitants  of  that  country.  They  lived  there  during  the  period 
that  the  Book  of  Mormon  claims  to  be  the  prosperous  period  of 
the  Nephites.  In  addition  to  their  stone  and  stucco  records 
they  had  a  written  language,  and  had  many  books.  Short, 
Antiquities,  p.  420,  says,  "In  addition  to  these  stone  and  stucco 
records,  the  Mayas  had  books,  which  Bishop  Landa  (a  Catholic 
Bishop  of  300  years  ago),  describes  as  written  on  a  leaf  doubled 
in  folds,  and  enclosed  between  two  boards,  which  they 
ornamented.  They  wrote  on  both  sides  of  the  paper,  in  columns 
accommodated  to  the  folds.  The  paper  they  made  from  the  roots 
of  trees  and  coated  with  a  white  varnish  on  which  one  could 
write  well.  Bishop  Landa  confesses  to  having  burned  a  great 
number  of  the  Maya  books  because  they  contained  nothing  in 
which  were  not  superstitions  and  falsities  of  the  devil  .  .  . 
Three  of  the  Maya  manuscripts  are  known  to  have  escaped  the 
vandalism  of  the  early  fathers. ' ' 

One  of  these  Maya  books,  called  the  Troano  manuscript,  is 
described  by  Bancroft,  as  quoted  by  Short,  p.  422.  He  says: 
'  'The  original  is  written  on  a  strip  of  Maguey  paper  about 
fourteen  feet  long  and  nine  inches  wide,  the  surface  of  which  is 
covered  with  a  whitish  varnish,  on  which  the  figures  are 
painted  in  black,  red,  blue  and  brown.  It  is  folded  fan  like  in 
thirty-five  folds  presenting  when  shut  much  the  appearance  of 
a  modern  large  octavo  volume.  The  hieroglyphics  cover  both 
sides  the  paper,  and  the  writing  is  consequently  divided  into 
seventy  columns,  each  about  five  by  nine  inches,  having  been 
apparently  executed  after  it  was  folded,  so  that  the  folding  does 
not  interfere  with  the  written  matter  .  .  .  The  regular  lines 

90 


of  written  characters  are  uniformly  in  black,  while  the  pictoral 
portions  of  what  may  perhaps  be  considered  representative 
signs,  are  in  red  and  blue,  chiefly  the  former,  and  the  blue 
appears  for  the  most  part  as  a  back  ground  in  some  of  the 
pages."  From  these  testimonies  we  learn  two  facts,  namely, 
The  Mayas  of  Central  America  had  a  written  language,  and, 
they  did  not  keep  their  records  on  Metal  plates.  The  next 
question  that  demands  attention  is,  Was  the  alphabet  of  the 
Mayas  such  as  Joseph  Smith  represents?  This  question  we 
answer  with  an  emphatic,  No.  We  can  show  the  Maya  alphabet 
and  we  defy  any  man  to  show  a  particle  of  resemblance  between 
those  characters  and  Mr.  Smith's  so-called  Egyptian  !  No 
resemblance  whatever  can  be  shown  between  the  two  sets  of 
characters.  In  order  to  see,  hence,  the  utter  falsit}-  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon  we  only  need  to  remember  the  fact  that  the 
Maya  alphabet  was  in  use  by  the  inhabitants  of  Central  America 
at  the  very  time  and  place  where  the  Book  of  Mormon 'says  the 
Nephites  lived.  And  further,  we  need  to  remember  that  this 
Maya  alphabet  was  the  only  written  alphabet  used  by  the 
ancient  inhabitants  of  Central  America.  This  being  true  a  ten 
year  old  child  can  see  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  a  miserable 
fraud.  The  testimony  of  scholars  and  antiquarians  is  unanimous 
that  no  evidence  exists  of  any  written  language  except  the 
Maya  on  either  continent. 

Short,  page  419,  says:  "No  well  authenticated  mound 
builder's  hieroglyphics  have  as  yet  come  to  light.  The  "Grove 
Creek  mound  tablet"  we  believe  is  now  shown  unquestionably 
to  be  an  archaeological  fraud."  Of  Peru,  from  Baldwin's 
Ancient  America,  pp.  254,  255,  and  Bancroft,  vol.  4,  p.  792,  we 
learn,  "The  art  of  writing  in  alphabetical  characters,  so  far  as 
appears,  was  unknown  to  the  Peruvians  in  the  time  of  the 
Incas.  No  Peruvian  books  existed  at  that  time,  and  no 
inscriptions  have  been  found  in  any  of  the  ruins.  They  had  a 
method  of  recording  events,  keeping  accounts,  and  making 
reports  to  the  government  by  means  of  the  QUIPPU.  This  was 


made  of  cords  of  twisted  wool  fastened  to  a  base  prepared  for 
the  purpose.  These  cords  were  of  various  sizes  and  colors,  and 
every  size  and  color  had  its  meaning.  The  record  was  made  by 
means  of  an  elaborate  system  of  knots  and  artificial 
intertwinings. "  The  ancient  Mexicans  had  no  alphabet  nor 
anything  that  approached  a  written  language,  but  a  kind  of 
picture  writing,  combined  with  symbolical  representations. 

5.  The  fifth  and  next  question  is,  Did  any  of  the  aborigines 
of  America  have  as  money  gold  or  silver  coins? 

The  Nahuas  or  Toltecs  occupied  a  part  of  Central  America 
and  Mexico  at  the  time  the  Book  of  Mormon  claims  to  have 
been  written.  Of  their  monetary  system  Bancroft,  vol.  2,  p. 
381,  says:  "Although  no  regular  coined  money  was  used,  yet 
several  more  or  less  convenient  substitutes  furnished  a  medium 
of  circulation.  Chief  among  these  were  nibs  or  grains  of  cacao, 
of  a  species  somewhat  different  from  that  employed  in  making 
favored  drink,  chocolate.  This  money,  known  as  PATLACHTE, 
passed  current  everywhere,  and  payments  of  it  would  be  made 
by  count  up  to  8,000  which  constituted  a  XIQUIPILLI.  In  large 
transactions  sacks  containing  THREE  XIQUIPILLI  were  used  to 
save  labor  in  counting.  PATOLQUACHTU  were  small  pieces  of 
cotton  cloth  used  as  money  in  purchase  of  articles  of  immediate 
necessity  or  of  little  value.  Another  circulating  medium  was 
GOLD  DUST  kept  in  translucent  quills,  that  the  quantity  might  be 
readily  seen.  Copper  was  also  cut.  into  small  pieces  shaped 
like  a  T,  which  constituted,  perhaps,  the  nearest  approach  to 
coined  money."  The  Mayas,  as  we  have  seen,  were  the  most 
enlightened  of  all  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Central  America, 
being  the  only  people  of  that  country  that  had  a  written 
language,  and  living  as  they  did  at  the  very  time  and  place 
where  the  Book  of  Mormon  claims  to  have  been  compiled,  we 
would  expect  them  to  have  money  in  the  shape  of  gold  and 
silver  coins,  if  such  had  ever  been  used  by  any  of  the  aborigines 
of  America.  Of  their  monetary  system  Bancroft,  vol.  2,  pp.  736, 
737,  says:  "The  ordinary  mercantile  transactions  were  effected 

92 


by  exchange  of  or  barter  of  one  commodity  for.  another.  But 
where  this  was  inconvenient  cacao  passed  current  as  money 
among  all  the  nations  .  .  .  According  to  Cogoludo  copper 
bells  and  rattles  of  different  sizes,  red  shells  in  strings,  precious 
stones  and  copper  hatchets  often  served  as  money,  especially  in 
foreign  trade. "  It  is  thus  seen  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is 
false  in,  every  particular. 

The  next  question  that  demands  our  attention  is,  Did  any 
of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Central  America  ever  enjoy  a 
Christian  civilization?  The  Mayas  being  the  most  enlightened 
of  all  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Central  America  and  living  at 
the  time  and  place  where  it  is  claimed  that  the  Nephites 
enjoyed  such  advanced  Christian  civilization,  we  would  expect, 
if  the  Book  of  Mormon  be  true,  that  the  antiquarians  would 
find  evidences  of  such  civilization.  Unfortunately,  however, 
for  the  cause  of  Mormonism,  those  ancient  Mayas  were  the 
veriest  idolaters  !  There  is  not  a  vestige  of  anything  Christian 
in  any  part  of  their  history.  Bancroft,  "Native  races  of 
America,"  vol.  2,  p.  704,  says,  "The  gods  of  the  Yucatecs  (the 
ancient  Mayas  of  Yucatan)  required  far  fewer  human  lives  at  the 
hands  of  their  worshipers  than  those  of  the  Nahuas. ,  The  pages 
of  Yuca  tec  history  are  not  marred  by  the  constant  blood  blots 
that  obscure  the  Nahua  record.  Nevertheless  the  Yucatec 
religion  was  not  free  from  human  sacrifice;  and  although 
captives  taken  in  war  were  used  for  this  purpose,  yet  it  is  said 
that  such  was  their  devotion  that  should  a  victim  be  wanting 
they  would  dedicate  their  children  to  the  altar  rather  than  let 
the  gods  be  deprived  of  their  due."  Again  vol.  2,  p.  725.  "The 
custom  of  eating  the  flesh  of  human  victims  who  were  sacrificed 
to  the  gods  was  probably  practiced  more  or  less  in  all  the  Maya 
regions,  but  neither  this  cannibalism  nor  the  sacrifices  that  gave 
rise  to  it  were  so  extensively  indulged  in  as  by  the  Mexicans. 

Of  a  certain  ruler  named  Quilzokoalt,  who  undertook 
various  reforms  in  ancient  Mexico,  Bancroft,  Vol.  5,  p.  261,  says: 
"Most  prominent  among  his  peculiar  reforms,  and  the  one  that 

93 


is  reported  to  have  contibuted  the  most  to  his  downfall,  was  his 
unvarying  opposition  to  human  sacrifice.  This  sacrifice  had 
prevailed  from  pre  Toltec  times. ' ' 

In  "Vestiges  of  the  Mayas,"  b}r  Dr.  Augustus  L,e  Plongen, 
p.  51,  we  are  told,  "The  sun  wras  worshipped  by  the  ancient 
Mayas,  and  the  Indians  of  today  preserve  the  dance  as  used  by 
their  forefathers  among  the  rites  of  the  adoration  of  that 
luminary."  Again,  p.  52,  he  says,  "The  blue  color  had 
exactly  the  same  significance  in  Maya,  according  to  Landa 
Cogolludo,  who  tell  us  that  even  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish 
Conquest  the  bodies  of  those  who  were  to  be  sacrificed  to  the 
gods  were  PAINTED  BLUE.  The  mural  paintings  in  the  funeral 
chamber  of  Chaacmal  at  Chichen  confirm  this  assertion.  There 
we  see  the  figures  of  men  and  women  painted  blue,  some 
marching  to  the  sacrifice  with  their  hands  tied  behind  their 
backs."  Again,  p.  70,  "We are  told,  and  the  BAS  RELIEFS  of 
Chaacmal's  Mausoleum  prove  it,  that  the  Mayas  DEVOURED  THE 
HEARTS  of  their  fallen  enemies.  It  is  said  that  on  certain 
grand  occasions,  after  offering  the  hearts  of  their  victims  to  the 
idols,  they  abandoned  the  bodies  to  the  people  who  feasted  upon 
them.  But  it  must  be  noticed  that  these  last  mentioned 
customs  seem  to  have  been  introduced  in  the  country  by  the 
Nahauts  and  Aztecs,  since  as  yet  we  have  found  nothing  in  the 
mural  paintings  to  cause  us  to  believe  that  the  Mayas  indulged 
in  such  barbaric  repasts  beyond 'the  eating  of  their  enemies' 
hearts." 

The  ancient  Mayas  were  idolatrous  cannibals,  with  a  history 
extending  back  to  a  remote  period,  even  antedating  the  call  of 
Abraham.  Bancroft,  vol.  5,  p.  205,  says:  "So  far  as  the 
other  so  called  primitive  nations  of  New  Spain  are  concerned 
little  can  be  said,  except  that  they  claim  and  have  always  been 
credited  with  a  very  ancient  residence  in  this  land,  DATING 

BACK  FAR  BEYOND  THE  BEGINNING    OF    THE    HISTORIC    PERIOD. 

Of  the  Nahuas,  Short,  p.  240,  says,  "The  date  of  the  emigration 
to  Hue  hue  Tlapalan  cannot  be  approximated  from  available 

94 


data,  but  it  is  evident  that  Ixtlilxochitl  fixes  it  at  520  years  after 
the  flood,  or  2236  after  the  creation — a  period  which  must  have 

ANTEDATED  THE  CHRISTIAN  ERA  BY  A  SCORE   OF  CENTURIES  OR 

MORE."  Baldwin's  Ancient  America,  p.  204,  says,  "Its  method 
(of  computing  time)  was  to  count  by  equal  periods  of  years,  as 
we  count  by  centuries,  and  their  chronology  presents  a  series  of 
periods  which  carries  back  their  histor}'  to  a  VERY  REMOTE  TIME 
IN  THE  PAST.  ' ' 

Of  the  Maya's  Short  p.  519,  says,  "The  venerable  civilization 
of  the  Mayas,  whose  forest  grown  cities  and  crumbling  temples 
hold  entombed  a  history  of  vanished  glory,  no  doubt  belongs  to 
the  remotest  period  of  North  American  antiquity.  It  was  old 
when  the  Nahuas,  then  a  comparatively  rude  people  first  came 
in  contact  with  it,  adapted  in  my  of  its  features  and  grafted  upon 
it  new  life. "  Again,  p.  475,  "I  must  speak  of  that  language 
which  has  survived  unaltered  through  the  vicissitudes  of  the 
nations  that  spake  it  thousands  of  years  ago,  and  is  yet  the 
general  tongue  in  Yucatan,  the  Maya.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  this  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  languages  on  earth.  It  was 
used  by  a  people  that  lived  at  least  6,000  years  ago,  as  proved 
by  the  Katuns,  to  record  the  history  of  their  rulers,  the  dogmas 
of  their  religion,  on  the  walls  of  their  palaces  or  the  facades  of 
their  temples. ' '  Thus  we  prove  the  Book  of  Mormon  to  be  false, 
just  as  much  so  as  the  father  of  lies. 


95 


CHAPTER  SEVENTEEN. 

The  next  question  that  demands  our  attention  is,  Were  the 
engravings,  or  writings,  on  those  p  lates,  claimed  to  be  shown 
o  Joseph  Smith,  Egyptian  characters?  In  other  words,  was 
the  writing  on  those  plates  in  the  Egyptian  language?  If  they 
were  such,  it  would  be  evidence  in  favor  of  the  truthfulness  of 
the  Book  of  Mormon.  On  the  other  hand,  if  they  were  not  true 
Egyptian  characters  but  one  conclusion  could  be  reached,  namely 
They  were  a  miserable  fraud.  "With  the  answer  to  this  question 
Mormonism  must  either  stand  or  fall.  In  the  discovery  of 
these  plates  and  the  inability  of  the  learned  to  decipher  them, 
Mormons  claim  to  find  a  fulfillment  of  a  prophecy  of  Isaiah, 
chapter  29.  There,  they  claim,  is  a  prophecy  of  "a  voice 
speaking  out  of  the  ground" — of  "a  sealed  book  being  given  to 
a  wise  man  who  acknowledged  his  inability  to  read  it."  This 
it  is  claimed  found  a  fulfillment  in  the  taking  of  those  plates 
out  of  the  ground,  and  in  presenting  a  copy  of  those  characters 
to  Prof.  Anthon,  who  acknowledged  his  inability  to  read  them. 
In  answer  to  all  that  they  have  said,  or  may  hereafter  say,  upon 
this  point  it  is  sufficient  to  show  that  their  inspiration,  in  order 
to  make  their  points  in  this,  has  been  guilty  of  unmitigated 
lying.  Mr.  Smith,  the  inspired  prophet  of  Mormonism, 
regarding  the  Anthoti  affair,  says:  "Some  time  in  this  month 
of  February  the  afore-mentioned  Mr.  Martin  Harris  came  to  our 
place,  got  the  characters  which  I  had  drawn  off  the  plates  and 
started  with  them  to  New  York.  For  what  took  place  relative 
to  him  and  the  characters,  I  refer  to  his  own  account  of  the 
circumstances,  as  he  related  them  to  me  after  his  return,  which 
was  as  follows:  'I  went  to  the  city  of  New  York  and  presented 
the  characters,  which  had  been  translated,  with  the  translation 
thereof,  to  Professor  Anthon,  a  gentleman  celebrated  for  his 

96 


literary  attainments.  Professor  Anthon  stated  that  the 
translation  was  correct,  more  so  than  any  he  had  before  seen 
translated  from  the  Egyptian.  I  then  showed  him  those  which 
were  not  yet  translated  and  he  said  they  were  Egytian,  Chaldaic, 
Assyrian  and  Arabic,  and  he  said  that  they  were  true  characters. 
He  gave  me  a  certificate  certifying  to  the  people  of  Palmyra 
that  they  were  true  characters,  and  that  the  transalation 
of  such  of  them  as  had  been  translated  was  also  correct.  .  .  . 
I  left  him  and  went  to  Dr.  Mitchell,  who  sanctioned  what 
Professor  Anthon  had  said  respecting  both  the  characters  and 
the  translation.'  ' 

Let  us  remember  this  testimony  of  Martin  Harris  is  fully 
endorsed  by  the  prophet  of  Mormonism,  and  is  found  in  one  of 
their  inspired  books,  Pearl  of  Great  Price,  Liverpool  edition  of 
1851,  p.  45.  It  is,  hence,  the  testimony  of  Mormon  inspiration. 
Let  us  now  hear  this  same  inspiration,  as  it  spfake  through  one 
of  their  chief  apostles,  Orson  Pratt.  In  Divine  Authenticity, 
p.  295,  Pratt  says,  "In  the  year  1841  Professor  Anthon  wrote  a 
letter  to  an  Episcopal  minister,  in  New  Rochelle,  Westchester 
count}',  near  New  York,  in  answer  to  an  inquiry  made  by  the 
minister  in  reference  to  the  words  and  characters  said  to  have 
been  presented  to  him.  Professor  Anthon 's  letter  was  written 
with  permission  to  publish,  its  avowed  object  being  to  put  a 
stop  to  the  spread  of  the  fulness  of  the  gospel  contained  in  the 
Book  of  Mormon.  We  here  give  a  short  extract  from  it  taken 
from  a  periodical  entitled,  'The  Church  Record,'  Vol.  i,  No.  22: 
"Many  years  ago,  the  precise  date  I  do  not  recollect,  a  plain 
looking  country  man  called  upon  me  with  a  letter  from  Dr. 
Samuel  L.  Mitchell,  requesting  me  to  examine  and  give  my 
opinion  upon  a  certain  paper,  marked  with  various  characters, 
which  the  Doctor  confessed  he  could  not  decipher,  and  which 
the  bearer  of  the  note  was  very  anxious  to  have  explained. 

A  brief  examintion  convinced  me  that  it  was  a  mere  HOAX, 
and  a  very  clumsy  one,  too.  The  characters  were  arranged  in 
columns,  like  the  Chinese  mode  of  writing,  and  presented  the 

97 


most  singular  medley  that  I  ever  beheld.  Greek,  Hebrew  and 
all  sorts  of  letters,  more  or  less  distorted,  either  through 
unskilfulness  or  from  actual  design,  were  intermingled  with 
sundry  delineations  of  half  moons,  stars  and  other  natural 
objects,  and  the  whole  ended  in  a  rude  representation  of  the 
Mexican  Zodiac." 

Pratt  accepts  this  as  the  true  statement  of  facts,  as  all  other 
Mormon  preachers  must  do  who  accept  their  argument  based 
upon  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah.  Notwithstanding  that  in  so  doing 
they  admit  that  Smith  and  Harris  positively  lied.  Smith  and 
Harris  positively  testify  that  Anthon  was  able  to  read  the 
characters,  and  to  decide  as  to  their  genuineness,  and  hence,  as 
to  the  correctness  of  Smith's  translation.  They  further  testify 
that  Harris,  having  obtained  the  testimony  of  Prof.  Anthon  as 
to  the  genuineness  of  those  characters,  and  the  correctness  of 
Smith's  translation,  he  went  to  Dr.  Mitchell,  who  endorsed  all 
that  Anthon  said.  Thus  stating,  positively,  that  Anthon  and 
Mitchell,  both  could  read  and  translate  the  characters.  If  they 
had  not  been  able  to  read  and  translate  those  characters  they 
would  not  have  been  competent  to  decide  as  to  the  correctness  of 
Smith's  translation  of  them. 

Bear  this  in  mind,  then  hear  the  following  from  Orson  Pratt. 
"After  obtaining  the  Book  of  Mormon  through  the  ministry  of 
the  angel  'out  of  the  'ground, '  Mr.  Smith  transcribed  some  of 
the  original  characters  upon  paper  and  sent  them  by  the  hands 
of  Martin  Harris,  a  farmer,  to  the  city  of  New  York,  where  they 
were  presented  to  Professor  Anthon,  a  man  deeply  learned  in 
both  ancient  and  modern  languages.  Mr.  Harris  very  anxiously 
requested  him  to  read  it,  BUT  HE  REPLIED  THAT  HE  COULD  NOT.  " 
It  can  now  be  seen  that  somebody  has  lied.  We  leave  it  for 
Mormons  to  say  who  it  was.  If  they  say  that  Smith  and  Harris 
lied,  they  condemn  Smith  as  a  lying  prophet  and  as  a 
consequence,  an  imposter.  If  they  say  Smith  told  the  truth, 
they  condemn  their  apostles  and  elders  from  Dan  to  Beersheba. 
They  can  take  either  horn  of  the  dilemma  they  choose.  A  plate 

98 


of  these  characters  was  recently  sent  to  a  number  of  Oriental 
scholars,  and  professional  judgment  was  asked  with  regard  to 
their  genuineness.  In  answer  to  such  request  Chas.  H.  S. 
Davis,  M.  D.  Ph.  D.,  of  Meriden,  Conn.,  author  of  "Ancient 
Egypt  in  the  light  of  Recent  Discoveries, "  and  a  member  of  the 
American  Oriental  Society,  Ameridan  Philological  Society, 
Society  of  Biblical  Archaeology  of  London,  Royal  Archaeological 
Institute  of  Great  Britian  and  Ireland,  etc.,  Said:  "I  am  familiar 
with  Egyptian,  Chaldaic,  Assyrian  and  Arabic,  and  have 
considerable  acquaintance  with  all  of  the  Oriental  languages, 
and  I  can  POSITIVELY  ASSERT  that  there  is  not  a  letter  to  be 
found  in  the  fac-simile  submitted  that  can  be  found  in  the 
alphabet  of  any  Oriental  language,  particularly  those  you  refer 
to — namely,  Egyptian,  Chaldaic,  Assyrian  and  Arabic.  A 
careful  study  of  the  fac-simile  shows  that  they  are  characters 
put  down  at  random  by  an  ignorant  person  —  with  no 
resemblance  to  anything,  not  even  shorthand." 

President  James  B.  Angell,  of  the  University  of  Michigan, 
at  Ann  Arbor,  said,  "I  have  submitted  your  letter  and  enclosure 
to  our  Professor  of  Oriental  languages,  who  is  more  familiar 
with  the  subject  raised  by  your  questions  than  I  am.  He  is  a 
man  of  large  learning  in  Semitic  languages  and  archaeology. 
The  substance  of  what  he  has  to  say  is:  The  document  which 
you  enclose  raises  a  MORAL  rather  than  a  LINGUISTIC  problem. 
A  few  letters  or  signs  are  noticeable  which  correspond  more  or 
less  closely  to  the  Aramaic,  sometimes  called  Chaldee  language; 
for  example,  s,  h,  g,  t,  1,  b,  n.  There  are  no  Assyrian  characters 
in  it;  and  the  impression  made  is  that  THE  DOCUMENT  is 

FRAUDULENT." 

Dr.  Charles  E.  Moldenke,  of  New  York,  of  whom  Dr.  Davis 
says,  '  'He  is  probably  the  best  Egyptian  scholar  in  the  country, ' ' 
writing  from  Jerusalem  said:  "I  believe  the  plates  of  the  Book 
of  Mormon  to  be  a  fraud.  In  the  first  place  it  is  impossible  to 
find  in  any  old  inscription,  Egyptian,  Arabic,  Chaldee  and 
Assyrian  characters  mixed  together.  The  simple  idea  of  finding 

99 


Egyptian  and  Arabic  side  be  side  is  ridiculous  and  impossible. ' ' 
DOCTRINE  AND  DOGMAS.  These  testimonies  represent  the 
scholarship  of  the  world.  They  establish  one  fact:  The 
Mormon  plates  were  a  FRAUD.  THERE  WAS  NOT  AN  EGYPTIAN 

CHARACTER  ON   THEM.     ' 

The  Old  Testament,  it  is  claimed,  was  written  in  Hebrew. 
Suppose  that  the  testimony  of  scholars  was  unanimous  that  there 
was  not  a  Hebrew  character  in  the  manuscripts  of  which  it  was 
claimed  to  be  a  translation.  If  such  was  the  case  it  would  be 
the  unanimous  decision,  among  the  intelligent,  that  the  whole 
thing  was  a  fraud.  In  that  case  no  intelligent,  conscientious 
person  would  want  to  appear  before  the  public  in  its  defense. 

It  is  claimed  that  the  New  Testament  was  written  in  Greek. 
SuppOvSe,  however,  that  the  unanimous  decision  of  scholars  was 
that  there  was  not  a  Greek  letter  in  the  manuscripts  of  which  it 
was  said  to  be  a  translation.  In  that  event  no  intelligent, 
conscientious  man  would  want  to  appear  before  the  public  in 
order  to  defend  its  claims  as  a  revelation  from  God.  If  it  was 
as  we  have  supposed  with  regard  to  the  Bible  he  who 
would  undertake  its  defence  would  do  so  under  circumstances 
that  would  insure  his  defeat  in  the  judgment  of  all  intelligent 
people.  Under  just  such  disadvantages  all  must  labor  who 
undertake  to  defend  the  claims  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  The 
fact  that  people  accept  and  undertake  the  defense  of  that  book 
is  a  demonstration  of  the  gullibility  of  the  human  mind  in 
matters  religious. 


TOO 


CHAPTER  EIGHTEEN. 

We  will  now  show  that  neither  those  plates  nor  the  URIM 
AND  THUMMIM,  prepared,  they  tell  us,  2,500  years  before,  were 
of  any  benefit  to  Smith  in  making  the  Book  of  Mormon.  David 
Whitmer  testifies  as  follows: 

"The  tablets  or  plates  were  translated  by  Smith,  who  used 
a  small  oval  or  kidney -shaped  stone  called  Urim  and  Thummim 
that  seemed  endowed  with  the  marvelous  power  of  converting 
the  characters  on  the  plates,  when  used  by  Smith,  into  English, 
who  would  then  dictate  to  Cowdery  what  to  write.  Frequently 
one  character  would  make  two  lines  of  manuscript,  while  others 
made  but  a  word  or  two  words. " — M.  of  M.  F.  page  83. 

Martin  Harris  says: 

"By  th2  aid  of  the  seer  stone  sentences  would  appear  and 
were  read  by  the  prophet  and  written  by  Martin,  and  when 
finished  he  would  say  'written';  and  if  correctly  written  that 
sentence  would  disappear  and  another  appear  in  its  place;  but  if 
not  written  correctly  it  remained  until  corrected,  so  that  the 
translation  was  just  as  it  was  engraven  on  the  plates,  precisely 
in  the  language  then  used.  " 

Again: 

"The  translation  of  the  characters  appeared  on  the  Urim 
and  Thummim,  sentence  by  sentence,  and  as  soon  as  one  was 
correctly  translated  the  next  appeared.  " — M.  of  M.  F.,  page  71. 

In  the  Desert  Evening  News,  Dec.  24,  1885,  Whitmer  says: 

"After  affixing  the  magical  spectacles  to  his  ej-es,  Smith 
would  take  the  plates  and  translate  the  charcters  one  at  a  time. 
The  graven  characters  would  appear  in  succession  to  the  seer, 
and  directly  under  the  character,  when  viewed  through  the 
glasses,  would  be  the  translation  in  English. ' ' 

101 


If  we  credit  these  witnesses,  there  is  one  thing  that  is 
clearly  established,  namely,  Smith  was  not  responsible  for  the 
language  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  No  more  so  than  a  babe  of 
today.  Smith  would  look  at  the  characters  on  the  plates  and  the 
English  of  each  would  appear  and  would  not  leave  till  it  was 
correctly  written.  Therefore,  if  sentences  were  -awkwardly  ex- 
pressed, grammatically  incorrect,  contained  useless  verbiage,  un- 
necessary repetitions  or  errors  of  any  kind,  none  but  the 
inspiration  that  guided  the  SEER  is  to  blame!  The  inspiration  of 
heaven  is  infallibly  correct  in  all  that  it  does.  It  would  not, 
hence  palm  off  on  any  people  a  translation  that  was  not  infallibly 
correct.  None  could  give  an  infallibly  correct  translation  unless 
governed  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

One  thing  that  we  now  ask,  and  ask  it  in  behalf  of  truth, 
and  that  is:  How  was  it  that  thousands  of  sentences  appeared 
to  Smith  from  our  Bible,  and  appeared  in  the  precise  language 
of  the  King  James  tranlation?  One  of  two  positions  must  here 
be  taken,  namely:  The  King  James'  translation  is  infallibly 
correct,  the  translators  thereof  being  governed  by  the  inspiration 
of  heaven,  or  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  a  fraud. 

The  witnesses  that  we  have  introduced  certify  that  the 
Book  of  Mormon  was  translated  from  the  plates  that  were 
shown  to  Smith  by  the  angel,  and  such  is  the  claim  of  all 
Mormons;  but  the  witnesses  testify  that  the  English  of  that 
book  is  the  language  that  appeared  to  Smith  through  magical 
spectacles  or  the  kidney  shaped  stone.  Why  is  it  that  the 
inspiration  that  guided  Smith  and  worked  so  magically  through 
his  URIM  AND  THUMMIM  was,  in  the  translation  of  sentences 
that  had  been  copied  from  our  Bible,  limited  to  the  language  of 
the  Common  Version?  Did  the  angel  that  guided  Smith  have 
to  depend  upon  the  king's  translators  for  his  English?  Of 
course,  I  suppose  Joe's  angel  was  "a  pore,  ignernt,  unlarnt 
criter.  "  Of  course.  Mormon  inspiration  will  never  tell  us  how 
it  was  that  Smith 's  angel  translated  the  passages  that  had  been 
copied  from  the  Jewish  scripture  in  the  precise  language  of  the 

102 


Common  Version?  And,  as  to  the  matter  borrowed  from  the 
New  Testament  those  Nephite  preachers  knowing  all  about 
JESUS  long  before  he  was  named  by  the  angel  Gabriel,  of  course, 
they  knew  all  about  the  New  Testament  hundreds  of  years 
before  it  was  written! 

If  it  be  admitted  that  Smith  turned  from  his  plates  to  get  a 
single  sentence  it  will  be  fatal  to  the  claims  of  Mormonism. 
They  will  escape  the  difficulty  at  this  point  just  as  easy  as  a 
man  would  dodge  a  stroke  of  lightning.  Martin  Harris  says. 

"The  prophet  possessed  a  seer  stone  by  which  he  was 
enabled  to  translate  as  well  as  from  the  Urim  and  Thummim, 
and  for  convenience  he  then  used  the  seer  stone." — M.  of  M.  F. 
page  91. 

This  informs  us  that  the  "interpreters"  were  somewhat 
inconvenient.  Smith  did  not  need  them;  and  of  course  would 
never  have  used  them  at  all,  only  out  of  respect  for  the  feelings 
of  his  god  !  Of  course  the  Lord  did  not  know  anything  about 
that  seer  stone  that  was  "hid  up"  in  Mr.  Chase's  premises,  or 
he  could  have  saved  the  trouble  of  making  those  magical 
spectacles.  And  evidently  the  Lord  did  not  know  the  size  and 
shape  of  the  Mormon  prophet's  head,  for  as  those  spectacles 
were  inconvenient  we  conclude  that  they  were  not  a  good  fit!  I 
suppose  that  when  Smith  got  a  chance  to  SLIP  that  stone  from 
among  the  trinkets  of  those  children  he  just  took  it  to  be  used 
as  an  expedient.  And  it  does  seem  from  the  subsequent  history 
of  this  stone  that  the  EXPEDIENTS  of  men  may  be  superior  to 
the  arrangemens  of  the  Almighty,  for  this  stone  was  superior 
to  the  URIM  AND  THUMMIM  that  the  Lord  prepared  especially 
for  Smith's  use  twenty  and  a  half  centuries  before  !  Perhaps 
the  Lord  ought  to  have  waited  till  he  saw  the  size  and  shape  of 
Smith's  head  before  making  those  spectacles  ?  !  He  evidently 
forgot  to  examine  the  seer's  head  the  time  he  brought  his  Son 
to  New  York  to  introduce  him  to  Smith  !  If  he  had  not  h- 
certainly  would  have  corrected  the  mistake  before  having  thei.i 
delivered  to  the  prophet !  However,  as  we  have  seen,  according 
to  Mormonism,  the  Lord  makes  mistakes  ! 

103 


Mr.  Hale,  Smith's  father-in-law,  in  whose  house  most  of 
the  translation  was  done,  says  that  the  curiosity  and  sometimes 
the  wrath  of  the  outside  world  was  often  such  that  the  prophet 
would  be  obliged  to  take  the  plates  into  the  woods  several 
miles  distant,  and  keep  them  hid  for  weeks  at  a  time,  but  the 
translation  would  go  on  in  the  house  all  the  same.  Therefore 
Smith  could  translate  just  as  well  in  the  absence  of  the  plates 
as  in  their  presence  ! 

David  Whitmer,  in  Desert  Evening  News,  Dec.  24,  1885, 
says  that  Smith  offended  the  angel,  and  as  a  punishment  the 
angel  left  him  and  took  the  plates  and  interpreters  to  heaven, 
and  the  work  was  stopped  for  awhile.  He  says: 

"The  angel  being  in  possession  of  the  plates  and  spectacles, 
finally  when  Smith  had  fully  repented  of  his  rash  conduct,  he 
was  forgiven.  THE  PLATES,  HOWEVER,  WERE  NOT  RETURNED; 
but  instead  Smith  was  given  by  the  angel  a  Urim  and  Thummim 
of  another  pattern,  it  being  shaped  in  oval  pr  kidney  form. 
This  seer  stone  he  was  instructed  to  place  in  his  hat,  and  on 
covering  his  face  with  the  hat  the  character  and  translation 
would  appear  on  the  stone.  This  worked  just  as  satisfactorily 
as  the  old  method,  but  at  no  time  thereafter  was  the  backsliding 
Joseph  intrusted  with  the  precious  plates.  However,  the  entire 
portion  of  the  golden  volume  which  the  angel  said  might  be 
translated  was  reduced  by  the  nimble  amanuensis  to  readable 
manuscript." 

It  is  now  apparent  to  the  reader,  from  the  testimony  of  their 
own  witnesses,  that  neither  the  plates  or  interpreters  were  of 
any  use  to  Smith  in  making  the  Book  of  Mormon  !  That  oval 
or  kidney  shaped  stone  did  away  with  the  necessity  of  plates 
and  spectacles  !  Smith  could,  we  are  told,  put  that  stone  in  his 
hat,  place  the  hat  over  his  face  and  translate  just  as  well  as 
when  he  had  the  plates  and  interpreters  !  Translate  what  ? 
He  had  nothing  to  translate,  for  the  plates  were  gone.  As  we 
are  left  to  conjecture  as  to  the  workings  of  the  Mormon  prophet 
and  his  angel,  we  suppose  that  the  Lord  took  those  plates  to 

104 


heaven  because  he  had  a  curiosity  to  see  what  was  on,  them, 
and  having  found  out  something  about  Joe  Smith  he  was  afraid 
to  risk  them  in  his  hands  any  more,  so  he  just  deputized  an 
angel  to  bring  those  Egyptian  characters  one  at  a  time,  and 
drop  them  in  Smith 's  old  hat.  Mormons  talk  about  a  second 
Daniel,  in  the  person  of  Joe  Smith  !  Reader,  think  of 
Daniel  when  he  was  called  to  the  palace  of  Belshazzar  to 
interpret  the  handwriting  on  the  wall.  See  him  stand  before 
the  king  and  the  mighty  ones  of  that  realm,  while  he  boldly 
tells  the  names  of  the  characters,  and  gives  the  interpretation. 
If  Daniel  had  crouched  in  some  corner,  behind  a  sheet,  his  hat 
over  his  face  and  a  pebble  in  it  that  had  been  taken  from  some 
well  in  Babylon,  and  that  he  had  taken  from  among  the  trinkets 
of  some  child — imagine  him  in  that  position,  without  any 
reputation  in  point  of  wisdom,  not  known  as  a  prophet,  but 
claiming  to  interpret  by  the  magical  power  of  that  stone 
characters  that  were  on  a  plate  that  he  had  taken  out  of  the 
ground  which  he  refused  to  let  intelligent  people  examine.  If 
Daniel  had  been  thus  represented,  there  would  have  been  a 
parallel  between  him  and  Smith.  As  it  is,  however,  there  is 
none. 

Orson  Pratt,  speaking  in  behalf  of  their  argument  that  is 
based  upon  the  2Qth  chapter  of  Isaiah  says: 

'  'All  this  was  fulfilled  before  Mr.  Smith  was  aware  that  it 
had  been  so  clearly  predicted  by  Isaiah.  He  sent  the  ''WORDS 
of  a  book'  which  he  found  as  before  stated,  to  Professor  Anthon. 
But  it  was  a  sealed  writing  to  the  learned  professor — the 
aboriginal  language  of  ancient  America  could  not  be  deciphered 
by  him.  He  was  as  much  puzzled  as  the  wise  men  of  Babylon 
were  to  interpret  the  unknown  writing  upon  the  wall.  Human 
wisdom  and  learning  in  this  case,  were  altogether  insufficient. 
It  required  another  Daniel  who  was  found  in  the  person  of  Mr. 
Smith." 

As  this  argument  has  been  so  elaborately  given  and  relied 
upon  by  both  the  Utah  and  Reorganized  branches  of  the  Mormon 

105 


fraternity,  and  as  with  it  Mormonism,  in  the  eyes  of.  all 
intelligent  and  conscientious  people,  must  stand  or  fall,  we 
again  give  the  testimony  of  Smith  and  Harris,  which  be  it 
understood,  forms  a  part  of  the  INSPIRED)  literature  of  all 
Mormons.  Smith  say: 

"Some  time  in  this  month  of  February  the  afore- 
mentioned Mr.  Martin  Harris  came  to  our  place,  got  the 
characters  which  I  had  drawn  off  the  plates  and  started 
with  them  to  New  York.  For  what  took  place  relative 
to  him  and  the  characters,  I  refer  to  his  own  account  of  the 
circumstances,  as  he  related  them  to  me  after  his  return,  which 
was  as  follows:  'I  went  to  the  city  of  New  York  and  presented 
the  characters,  which  had  been  transcribed,  with  the  translation 
thereof,  to  Professor  Anthon,  a  gentleman  celebrated  for  his 
literary  attainments.  Professor  Anthon  stated  that  the 
translation  was  correct,  more  so  than  any  he  had  before  seen 
translated  from  the  Egyptian.  I  thenrshowed  him  those  which 
were  not  yet  translated  and  he  said  they  were  Egytian,  Chaldaic, 
Assyrian  and  Arabic,  and  he  said  that  they  were  true  characters. 
He  gave  me  a  certificate  certifying  to  the  people  of  Palmyra 
that  they  were  true  characters,  and  that  the  transaction 
of  such  of  them  as  had  been  translated  was  also  correct.  .  .  . 
I  left  him  and  went  to  Dr;  Mitchell,  who  sanctioned  what 
Professor  Anthon  had  said  respecting  both  the  characters  and 
the  translation. '  " 

Now  let  us  remember  this  is  Mormon  inspiration  speaking 
through  the  prophet  of  Mormonism.  But,  let  us  also  remember 
that  the  same  inspiration  speaking  through  the  entire  Mormon 
family,  Organized  and  Reorganized,  says  that  the  testimonj' 
through  Joe  Smith  is  a  lie. 

If  a  witness  be  called  onto  the  stand  who,  in  giying  his 
testimony,  stultifies  himself,  giving  positive  contradictory 
testimony  touching  the  most  important  points  in  the  suit,  all 
intelligent  jurors  pronounce  him  a  perjured  being  and  reject  his 
testimony.  We  have  called  Mormon  inspiration  onto  the  stand, 

106 


but  it  has  stultified  itself,  positively  contradicted  itself  in  the 
more  important  points  under  consideration.  Therefore,  all 
intelligent,  conscientious  people  must  reject  the  testimony 
of  Mormon  inspiration,  it  being  the  testimony  of  a  perjured 
witness.  If  what  Smith  says  regarding  the  testimony 
of  Anthon  and  Mitchell  was  true  why  did  he  not  get  a  number 
of  such  men  to  examine  those  plates  and  give  to  the  world 
some  reliable  testimony  in  their  behalf?  Why  did  the}'  not 
preserve  that  certificate  that  was  given  by  Anthon  and  Mitchell? 
What  heaven  does  is  not  done  in  a  dark  corner,  under  suspicious 
circumstances.  The  fact  is,  Mormonism  is  a  humbug,  the  book 
of  Mormon  being  a  fraud  of  the  deepest  dye. 

The  testimony  that  we  have  given  regarding  the  Anthon 
affair  has  all  been  from  Mormon  sources,  and  altogether 
unreliable,  their  inspiration  being  a  perjured  .witness.  Such 
being  the  case  we  will  now  hear  some  testimony  from  another 
and  a  reliable  source.  Remy  and  Brechesly,  vol.  i,  p.  245, 
gives  the  following: 

"In  a  letter  bearing  date  January  17,  1834,  Professor  Anthon 
distinctly  denies  having  seen  a  translation  of  any  kind,  and 
asserts  that  the  characters  which  Harris  showed  him  WERE 
ANYHING  but  Egyptian.  Mr.  Anthan  says  in  this  letter  that 
the  copy  exhibited  by  Harris  contained  characters  arranged  in 
columns,  imitating  Greek  and  Hebrew  letters,  crosses,  flourishes, 
Roman  letters  inverted,  and  that  these  perpendicular  columns 
were  terminated  by  a  clumsity  drawn  circle,  divided  into  several 
compartments,  decked  with  various  strange  marks,  evidently 
copied  from  the  Mexican  calendar  given  by  Humboldt,  but  so 
copied  as  to  conceal  the  source  from  which  it  was  taken." 
MENE,  TEKEL. 


107 


CHAPTER  NINETEEN. 

Mormon  inspiration,  like  the  inspiration  of  Mahometanism 
labors  much  to  gratify  the  curiosity  of  man,  yet  it  leaves  us  to 
wonder  and  inquire  about  many  things  that  it  speaks  of,  and 
that  without  any  assurance  of  our  curiosity  being  gratified. 
One  can  but  wonder  why  the  angel  should  have  taken  those 
old  spectacles  to  heaven.  It  may  be  that  the  Lord  wanted  to 
examine  them  in  order  to  see  what  the  deficiency  was;  or  it  may 
be  that  he  felt  ashamed  for  any  one  to  see  them. — The  reader 
will  please  excuse  this.  The  whole  thing  is  so  ridiculously 
absurd  that  it  is  not  worthy  of  serious  consideration. 

We  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  use  of  proper  names,  and 
in  examining  them  we  will  have  a  demonstration  of  the  falsity 
of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Proper  names,  the  names  of  men, 
cities,  towns,  countries,  and  rivers  are  not  translatable.  They 
are  only  transferable,  and  the  same  sound,  as  near  as  possible 
is  given  in  each  language.  As  an  illustration  take  such  as 
Egypt,  Palestine,  Babylon,  Ninevah,  Damascus,  etc.,  or  the 
names  of  men,  such  as  Adam,  Enoch,  Noah,  Job,  Daniel,  etc. 
The  Mayas,  as  we  have  seen,  were  among  the  most  ancient 
inhabitants  of  Central  America,  and  the  most  enlightened  of 
any  of  its  ancient  inhabitants,  being  the  only  people  there  that 
had  a  written  language.  That  language  has  survived  the 
vicissitudes  of  time,  and  remains  the  same  today;  in  the  main, 
that  it  was  2,000  or  2,500  years  ago. 

Dr.  AgUvStus  La  Plongeon,  in  Vestiges  of  the  Mayas,  page 
25,  says:  "The  language  of  the  ancient  Mayas,  strange  as  it 
may  appear,  has  servived  the  vicissitudes  of  time,  wars,  political 
and  religious  convulsions.  It  has,  of  course,  somewhat 
degenerated  by  the  mingling  of  so  many  races  in  such  a  limited 
space  as  the  peninsula  of  Yucatan  is;  but  it  is  yet  the  vernacular 

108 


'l,        ^          //I/ 


'  X 


If*         ,'    n.  $$•:•'       U 


of  the  people.  The  Spainards  themselves,  who  strived  so  hard 
to  wipe  out  all  vestiges  of  the  ancient  customs  of  the  aborigines 
were  unable  to  destroy  it;  nay,  they  were  obliged  to  learn  it; 
and  now  many  of  their  descendants  have  forgotten  the  mother 
tongue  of  their  sires  and  speak  Maya  only.  In  some  localities  in 
Central  America  it  is  still  spoken  in  its  pristine  purity,  as,  for 
example,  by  the  Chaacmules. " 

Short,  page  478,  says:  "What  is  most  satisfactory  to  us  Is 
the  probability  that  the  language  is  spoken  today  by  the  mass 
of  the  native  population  of  Yucatan  as  it  was  anciently,  for, 
says  Senor  Pimentel,  'The  Indians  have  preserved  this  idiom 
with  such  tenacity  that  to  this  day  they  will  speak  no  other. ' 
Senor  Oroyco  j  Berra  furnishes  us  evidences  that  little  change 
has  taken  place  in  the  language  since  the  earliest  times,  in  the 
statement  that  all  the  geographical  names  of  the  peninsula  are 
Maya,  which  is  considered  proof  in  his  judgment  that  the  May  as 
were  the  first  occupants  of  the  country.  " 

Reader,  think  of  the  fact  now  before  us.  The  Mayas  were 
the  first  inhabitants  of  Central  American.  They  are  there  now, 
speaking  the  same  language  that  they  spake  anciently,  and 
their  history  reaches  back  into  the  remotest  antiquity.  Their 
alphabet  we  can  give,  and  we  challenge  the  entire  Mormon 
fraternity  to  show  the  remotest  resemblance  between  that 
alphabet  and  the  characters  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  says  were 
used  by  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  that  country.  (We  regret 
our  inability  to  give  our  readers  the  Maya  alphabet  in  these 
articles.  We  are,  however,  being  urged,  not  simply  by  brethren 
but  by  representative  men  in  the  denominations  to  put  our 
matter  in  permanent  form.  This  will  likely  be  done,  and  should 
it  be  done  our  diagrams  will  all  be  given  in  the  book;  and 
unhesitatingly  do  we  say,  it  will  give  a  thorough  demonstration 
that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  one  of  the  basest  frauds  that  was 
ever  concocted  by  designing  men.) 

One  can  take  the  Bible  and  go  into  Bible  lands,  there  they 
find  the  names  of  men,  countries,  cities  and  rivers,  just  as  given 

109 


in  that  book,  from  the  remotest  antiquity  down  to  the  close  of 
the  New  Testament  record;  thus  demonstrating  the  authenticity 
of  that  book.  But  alas,  how  different  it  is  with  the  Book  of 
Mormon!  Take  that  book  and  go  into  Central  America,  where 
it  claims  to  have  originated,  and  we  fail  to  find  a  name  that  it 
gives.  Not  one  of  them  was  ever  known  there.  The  names 
are  there  now  that  were  there  2,000  years  ago. 

The  Bible  tells  us  that  the  Jews,  with  whom  it  claims  to 
have  originated,  were  the  descendants  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob.  Those  names  are  there  now.  Towns  and  places  they 
talked  of,  where  they  lived,  and  wells  they  dug  can  be  shown, 
and  wherever  we  find  their  descendants  those  names  are 
revered.  Scores  of  centuries  could  not  obliterate  them. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  tells  us  that  Lehi,  Nephi,  and  Laman 
were  the  progenitors  of  the  aborigines  of  North  and  South 
America.  Why  can  we  not  go  to  the  parts  where  they  lived, 
and  where  it  is  claimed  that  their  descendants  flourished  most, 
where  they  reached  their  highest  civilization,  and  find  their 
names  revered — find  the  places  they  talked  about — find  some 
monument  that  marks  their  enterprise?  Gentle  reader,  those 
names  are  not  there,  and  never  were  there  !  Why  is  this? 
Echo  answers  why  ?  Such  men  never  lived !  The  Book  of 
Mormon  is  a  book  of  fiction — a  falsehood  of  the  deepest  dye. 

We  now  give  in  parallel  columns  the  names  of  lands,  cities 
and  countries  of  ancient  America  as  given  in  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  and  the  actual  names  that  were  here,  as  ascertained 
by  the  research  of  antiquarians.  The  left  hand  column  will 
give  the  actual  names,  and  the  right  hand  column  will  give  the 
names  according  to  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

ANCIENT  NAMES.  MORMON    NAMES. 

Carchac  Antionum 

Champoton  Amulon 

Chichen  Itza  Ammonihah 

Chimathuacan  Antipara 

Chiquimula  Boaz 

\ 
no 


Cholula 

Colouacan 

Hapallanconco 

Huchuetan 

Huej-xalan 

Gualulco 

Itzalane 

Izamai 

Mazalepec 

Mayapan 

Metlaltoyuca 

Mazapan 

Nachan 

Nimxab 

Ococingo 

Olman 

Quiyahuiztlan 

Quemeda 

Quauhnahuac 

Quauhatochco 

Tarn  cancan 

Tepen 

Tlaachicatzin 

Tlapallanconco 

Tlaxicoluican 

Tepetla 

Tonacatepetl 

Tatzapan 

Teotihuacan 

Tlacopan 

Taxpan 

Tulan 

Tulancingo 

Txintzurtzan 

Tzequil 


Bountiful 

Cumeni 

Desolation 

Gadiandi 

Gad 

Gadiomnah 

Gilgal 

Gid 

Gideon 

Gimgimno 

Helam 

Hermounts 

Ishmael 

Jacob 

Jacobugath 

Jershon 

Jerusalem 

Jordon 

Josh 

Kishkumen 

Laman 

Lemuel 

Manti 

Melek 

Minon 

Middoni 

Mocum 

Morianton 

Moroni 

Moroni  hah 

Mulek 

Nephihah 

Noah 

Omner 

Onidah 


in 


Xalisco 

Xibalba 

Xicalanco 

Xochicalco 

Xumiltepec 

Yobaa 

Zacatlan 

Zinhcohuatl 


Oniha 

Sherrizah 

Shilam 

Shimlon 

Sidom 

Shem 

Shemnilon 

Teancum 

Zarahemla 

Zuzrotn 


We  now  give  a  list  of  the  names  of  men  arranged  as  above: 


ANCIENT   NAMES 

Igh 

Imox 

Votan 

Cipoctonal 

Oxomoco 

Tlaltetecui 

Xuchicaoaca 

Xelhua 

Xicalancatl 

Tenuch 

Mixtecatl 

Ulmecatl 

Otomitl 

Itzaob 

Acapichtzin 

Cabracau 

Cecatzin 

Chaac  Mol 

Chalcatzin 

Cohuatzon 

Ciikulcan 

Huematzin 


MORMON   NAMES 

Aaron 

Abinadi 

Abin  adorn 

Alma 

Amaron 

Amaleki 

Amalekiah 

Aminadab 

Ammon 

Ammoran 

Amlici 

Amulek 

Amulon 

Antipus 

Archeantus 

Benjamin 

Boaz 

Cezoram 

Chemish 

Corianton 

Coiantumr 

Emron 


112 


Hunbatz  Enos 

Hunchouen  Gadiandi 

Hun-Came  Gad 

Hunahpu  Gidgidoni 

Melzotzin  Gideon 

Totzapantzin  Gidianton 

Tlapalmetzin  Gidianhi 

Tlacamihtzin  Hagoth 

Unkub-Came  Helam 

Unkub  Hunahpu  Heleman 

Xbalanque  Heloram 

Xpij'acoc  Isaiah 

Xmucane  Ishraael 

Xquip  Jacob 

Zamna  Jarom 

Zipacna  Jershon 

This  list  gives  the  actual  names  that  were  here,  with  a 
corresponding  number  of  Mormon  names.  That  the  reader, 
however,  may  see  a  full  list  of  Mormon  names,  as  given  by  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  we  give  the  full  Hst.  Lemuel,  Linihi,  Luram, 
Mathoni,  Mathonihi,  Melek,  Mormon,  Maroni,  Monah,  Nehor, 
Nephi,  Noah,  Omni,  Paanchi,  Pachus,  Pacumeni,  Pahoran, 
vSam,  Samuel,  Seantum,  Seezaran,  Shem,  Shemnon,  Shiblon, 
Timothy,  Tubaloth,  Zarahema,  Zeezrom,  Zedekiah,  Zemnariah, 
Zenephi,  Zewiff,  Zenos. 

We  again  challenge  the  entire  Mormon  fraternity  to  a 
comparison  of  these  names.  There  is  not  a  name  in  the  entire 
Mormon  list  that  bears  the  remotest  resemblance  to  an}-  of  the 
ancient  names  of  Central  America!  !  Why  is  this  ?  The  Book  of 
Mormon  says  that  the  Nephites  faithfully  keep  a  record  of  their 
lineage,  and  as  a  consequence,  a  record  of  their  proper  names, 
and  a  record  of  their  wars,  their  religious  and  political 
enterprises.  Why  then,  we  ask,  is  it  that  antiquarians  fail  to 
find  any  trace  of  these  records  ? — fail  to  find  a  name  that  even 
resembles  a  Mormon  name?  Names  of  ancient  men  can  be 


given,  and  their  idolatrous  worship,  their  cannibalistic  customs 
— the  nature  of  their  civilization  can  be  gathered  from  their 
stone  and  stucco  carvings,  and  their  picture  writings.  Not 
only  can  antiquarians  give  the  proper  names  that  were  in 
ancient  Central  America,  the  nature  of  the  civilization  there, 
but  also  the  characters  used  in  the  only  written  language  that 
was  ever  there,  but  nothing  can  be  found  there  that  has  any 
resemblance  to  anything  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  gives  !  !  ! 
In  view  of  these  facts  but  one  conclusion  can  be  reached — the 
Book  of  Mormon  is  a  fraud —  as  fearful  a  falsehood  as  ever  came 
from  the  regions  of  his  Satanic  Majesty's  dominions! 


114 


CHAPTER  TWENTY. 

"Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee,  thou  wicked 
servant."  Luke  19:  22.  We  now  purpose  to  show  by  the  Book 
of  Mormon  that  the  devil  is  the  foundation  of  the  Mormon 
church.  "And  it  came  to  pass  that  I  saw  among  the  nations  of 
the  Gentiles  the  foundation  of  a  great  church.  And  the  angel 
said  unto  me,  Behold,  the  foundation  of  a  church,  which  is  most 
abominable  above  all  other  churches,  which  slayeth  the  saints 
of  God,  yea,  and  tortureth  them,  and  bindeth  them  down,  and 
yoketh  them  with  a  yoke  of  iron,  and  bringeth  them  down  into 
captivity.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  I  beheld  this  great  and 
abominable  church;  and  I  saw  the  devil  that  he  was  the 
foundation  of  it.  And  I  also  saw  gold  and  silver,  and  silks  and 
scarlets,  and  fine  twined  linen,  and  all  manner  of  precious 
clothing;  and  I  saw  many  harlots." — B.  of  M.,  pp.  20,  100-103. 

All  Mormons  hold  that  this  great  and  abominable  church 
is  the  Roman  Catholic  ecclesia.  It  is  a  fact  however  that  the 
Roman  Catholic  and  the  Mormon  churches  are  built  upon  the 
same  foundation.  To  the  church  in  Pergamos  the  Lord  said, 
1  'So  hast  thou  also  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of  the  Nicolaitans, 
which  thing  I  hate. "  Rev.  2:  15.  In  order  to  understand 
what  was  in  the  Nicolaitan  doctrine  it  is  only  necessary  to 
analyze  the  term.  It  is  a  compound  term  from  NICHO  and 
LAITOS.  NICHO,  from  the  root  NICHE,  means  to  get  the 
ascendency.  LAITOS  is  simply  the  people.  We  have,  hence, 
in  that  word  or  doctrine,  what  is  known  in  the  ecclesiastical 
world  as  the  CLERGY  AND  LAITY.  It  is  there  alone  that  we  find 
a  class  that  hold  the  ascendency,  and  talk  of  the  people  as  the 
LAITY.  There  were  some  in  the  apostles'  da}r  that  were  seeking 
in  the  spirit  of  Diotrophes,  to  get  the  ascendency,  that  they 


might  be  as  lords  over  the  masses.  This  is  what  the  Lord  hates, 
and  the  reason  is  apparent.  In  the  kingdom  of  the  Christ  we 
have  a  kingdom  in  which  each  citizen  is  a  member  of  the  royal 
family.  They  constitute,  hence,  a  kingdom  of  priests,  with 
equal  rights  and  privileges,  in  all  that  pertains  to  the  worship 
of  God.  In  that  kingdom  there  are  no  dignitaries  to  lord  it 
over  the  masses.  See  Rev.  i:  6;  I.  Pet.  2:  9.  Each  member  in 
that  family  is  born  of  royal  parentage.  They  are  all  children  of 
God,  and  are  hence,  joint  heirs  with  the  King  immortal.  The 
holy  place  of  the  tabernacle  that  was  erected  by  Moses,  under 
the  immediate  directions  of  the  Almighty,  was  given  as  a  type 
of  the  institution  of  God  in  Christ.  In  that  holy  place  all  met 
as  consecrated  priests  of  God — all  were  sanctified  to  the  same 
service — all  within  that  institution  were  equal,  had  equal 
privileges  in  all  the  services  therein.  In  Ezekiel's  vision  of  the 
temple  of  God  the  same  lesson  is  taught  that  is  given  in  the 
tabernacle.  In  that  vision  is  given  a  picture  of  a  building 
composed  of  many  rooms,  each  room  the  same  size,  and  each 
room  just  the  size  of  the  entire  building,  and  each  worshipper  in 
that  building  filled  the  same  measure. 

In  the  institution  of  God  the  Nicolaitan  doctrine  is 
positively  prohibited,  for  that  doctrine  subverts  the  will  of  God, 
enslaves  the  masses,  and  keeps  them  from  the  light  of  God.  In 
Rome  we  have  a  kingdom  of  the  clergy.  In  that  institution  we 
find,  hence  a  self  constituted  priesthood  that  has  the  ascendency 
'  over  and  rule  of  the  people.  In  that  institution,  hence,  we  find 
the  Nicolaitan  doctrine,  that  which  the  Lord  hates.  In  the 
Roman  ecclesia  there  are  ecclesiastical  dignitaries  of  various 
sizes,  and  a  centralization  of  power  on  earth.  There  we  see  the 
pope,  the  prelates,  the  cardinals,  the  arch-bishops,  the  diocesan 
bishops,  the  priests,  etc,,' with  a  centralization  of  power  at 
Rome;  and  if  we  should  call  attention  to  her  demoniacal  features 
we  would  mention  the  Hermits,  the  Dominican  Friars,  the 
Inquisition,  etc. 

.     In  Mormonism  there  is  the  first  presidency,  the   patriarchs, 

116 


the  apostles,  the  seventies,  the  high  priests,  the  bishops,  the 
elders,  the  priests  and  the  deacons.  And  should  we  call  attention 
to  its  especial  demoniacal  features  we  would  mention  the 
Whitling  deacons,  the  Danite  Bands,  Celestial  Marriages,  etc., 
etc.,  and  all  know  that  from  its  incipiency  Mormonism 
proposed  a  centralization  of  power  on  earth.  Thus  it  is  clearly 
seen  that  Monnonism  closely  apes  Romanisn,  and  has  the 
Nicoliatan  doctrine  in  its  fulness.  We  give  the  following: 

1.  Romanism  being  founded  upon  the   devil,    any   church 
modeled  after  the  Roman  pattern  has  the  devil  for  its  foundation. 

2.  But  the  Mormon  church  is   modeled    after  the   Roman 
pattern. 

3.  Therefore    the    Mormon    church  has   the   devil  for  its 
foundation. 

Again, 

1.  A    church  built    upon    the    Nicolaitan    doctrine,    the 
doctrine  of  clergy  and  laity  is  something  the  Lord  hates. 

2.  But  the  Mormon  church,  having  the  doctrine  of  clergy 
and  laity,  is  built  upon  the  Nicolaitan  doctrine. 

3.  Therefore,  the  Mormon    church  is    something  that  the 
Lord  hates. 

We  will  now  show  that  genuine  Mormonism'is  polygamous. 
That  Joseph  Smith  was  the  oracle  of  Mormenism — its  true 
representative  and  expounder  will  not  be  denied  by  any 
representative  of  Mormonism. 

We  now  give  attention  to  the  question,  Was  Joseph  Smith, 
the  reputed  prophet  of  latter  day  saints,  the  author  of  celestial 
marriage?  It  will,  it  must  be  admitted  that  if  Joseph  Smith 
was  the  author  of  celestial  marriage,  he  was  the  author  of 
polygamy  as  practiced  by  the  Utah  church.  This  being  so, 
polygamy  is  a  tenet  of ,  and  belongs  to  genuine  Mormonism. 
Such  being  the  case,  none  can  be  genuine  Mormons  and  reject 
polygamy.  Smith  was  highly  favored  by  the  inspiration  that 
guided  him.  He  could  hence,  have  a  revelation  granted  him 
for  any  and  every  emergency.  It  mattered  not  as  to  the  nature 

117 


of  any  project  that  he  might  have  on  hand,  nor  the  moral 
features  of  any  practice  that  he  wished  to  indulge  in,  he  could 
have  a  revelation  that  would  justify  his  course.  Not  withstand 
ing  the  Book  of  Mormon  condemned  polygamy,  when  Smith 
wanted  to  justify  plural  marriages,  the  same  inspiration  that 
had  condemned  such  could,  at  Smith's  request,  authorize,  yea 
command  it,  and  threaten  all  who  opposed  it  with  eternal 
damnation!  Hence,  the  following  wonderful  revelation: 

"i.  Verily,  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  you  my  servant 
Joseph,  that  inasmuch  as  you  have  enquired  of  my  hand,  to 
know  and  understand  wherein,  I,  the  Lord,  justified  Abraham, 
Isaac  and  Jacob,  as  also  Moses,  David  and  Solomon,  my 
servants,  as  touching  the  principle  and  doctrine  of  their  having 
many  wives  and  concubines:  Behold  !  and  lo,  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  will  answer  thee  as  touching  this  matter: 
Therefore  prepare  thy  heart  to  receive  and  obey  the  instructions 
which  I  am  about  to  give  unto  you;  for  all  those  who  have  this 
lawT  revealed  unto  them  must  obey  the  same;  for  behold!  I  reveal 
unto  you  a  new  and  everlasting  covenant;  and  if  ye  abide  not  in 
that  covenant,  then  are  ye  dammed;  for  no  one  can  reject  this 
covenant,  and  be  permitted  to  enter  iuto  my  glory;  for  all  who 
will  have  a  blessing  at  my  hands  shall  abide  the  law  which 
was  appointed  for  that  blessing,  and  the  conditions  thereof,  as 
was  instituted  from  before  the  foundation  of  the  world;  and  as 
pertaining  to  the  new  and  everlasting  covenant  it  was  instituted 
for  the  fulness  of  my  glory,  and  he  that  receiveth  a  fulness  thereof 
must  and  shall  abide  the  law  or  he  shall  be  damned  saith  the  Lord. 
"2.  And  verily  I  say  unto  you  that  the  conditions  of  this 
law  are  these:  All  covenants,  contracts,  bonds,  obligations, 
oaths,  vows,  performances,  connections,  associations,  or 
expectations  that  are  not  made  and  entered  into  and  sealed  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  of  him  who  is  anointed,  both  as 
well  for  time  and  for  all  eternity,  and  that  too  most  holy  by 
revelation  and  commandment,  through  the  medium  of  mine 

118 


anointed  whom  I  have  appointed  on  the  earth  to  hold  this 
power,  (and  I  have  appointed  unto  my  servant  Joseph  to  hold 
this  power  in  the  last  days,  and  there  is  never  but  one  on  the 
earth  at  a  time  on  whom  this  power  and  the  keys  of  this 
priesthood  are  conferred)  are  of  no  efficacy,  virtue  or  force  in 
and  after  the  resurrection  from  the  dead;  for  all  contracts  that 
are  not  made  unto  this  end  have  an  end  when  men  are  dead." 
It  may  be  well  to  take  this  document  by  sections,  that  we 
may  when  we  reach  the  end,  have  an  understanding  of  the 
whole;  and  enjoy  the  fulness  thereof!  It  is  evident  that  the 
world  never  would  have  been  favored  with  such  a  revelation 
had  not  Joseph  been  directly  concerned,  and  hence  importuned 
the  Lord  that  he  might  know  just  how  polygamy  could  be 
justified!  Mormons  talk  of  a  new  and  everlasting  covenant, 
and  of  Mormonism  affording  the  fulness  of  the  gospel.  The}* 
have  been  challenged  many  times  to  give  one  idea  pertaining 
to  the  gospel  of  Christ  that  is  not  found  in  the  New  Testament, 
and  to  show  in  what  the  fulness  of  the  gospel  consisted,  as 
exhibited  in  Mormonism.  They  will  never  be  enabled  to  comply 
with  this  request,  nor  to  point  to  a  law  that  embodies  a  new 
covenant  until  they  endorse  this  polygamous  document!  It 
does  claim  to  give  a  new  and  everlasting  covenant  to 
give  the  law  embodying  that  covenant.  It  is,  however, 
a  law  governing  and  justifying  a  plurality  of  wives ! 
They  are  wont  to  say  that  the  fulness  of  which  the  religious 
world  had  been  deprived  consists  in  the  miraculous  endowments 
that  have  been  restored  by  the  introduction  of  Mormonism. 
They  argue  that  the  true  saints  of  God  are  not  found  where 
these  miraculous  endowments  are  wanting.  In  this,  however, 
they  show  the  Book  of  Mormon  to  be  false.  It  is  a  fact  that  is 
conceded  by  all  intelligent  students  of  ecclesiastical  history  that 
miracuTous  gifts  disappeared  with  the  ending  of  the  apostles'  min- 
istry. Mormons  have  asserted,  and  yet  say,  that  they  disappeared 
because  of  apostasy,  and  because,  hence,  the  saints  had  ceased 
to  exist.  The  quotation,  however,  from  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
with  which  we  began  this  article,  says  that  the  Roman  ecclesia, 

119 


necessarily  a  few  hundred  years  after  the  apostles,  did  slay  and 
torture  the  saints  of  God.  Truly,  the  legs  of  the  lame  are  not 
equal. 

This  revelation  answered  Joseph's  purpose  in  another 
respect.  It  made  Joseph  dictator  over  the  entire  Mormon 
fraternity.  No  contract,  civil  or  religious,  and,  of  course,  that 
included  marriage  vows,  was  binding  without  the  seal  of  the 
,Holy  Spirit  affixed  by  him  who  had  the  key  of  that  authority  !  ! 
We  now  know  what  the  new  and  everlasting  covenant  is,  as 
revealed  to  Joseph.  It  was  a  law  authorizing  polygamy,  and 
establishing  Smith's  right  as  an  absolute  monarch  !  We 
understand  now  how  Mormonism,  through  its  oracle,  gave  the 
fulness  of  the  gospel  !  I  wonder  by  what  blood  this  covenant 
was  dedicated?  !  One  is  made  to  wonder  whether  the  founders 
of  Mormonism  ever  saw  a  book  that  is  called  the  New  Testament? 
Yet  we  know  that  they  had,  for  otherwise  they  could  not  have 
stolen  the  amount  from  it  that  they  did  in  making  the  Book  of 
Mormon.  But,  gentle  reader,  they  had  about  as  much  respect 
for  its  authority  as  a  true  servant  of  Jesus  Christ  can  have  for 
the  authority  of  such  a  miserable  blasphemer  as  Joseph  Smith 
was.  That  wonderful  revelation  continues: 

"3.  Behold!  Mine  house  is  a  house  of  order,  saith  the 
Lord  God,  and  not  a  house  of  confusion.  Will  I  accept  an 
offering,  saith  the  Lord,  that  is  not  made  in  my  name?  Or, 
will  I  receive  at  your  hands  that  which  I  have  not  appointed  ? 
And  will  I  appoint  unto  you,  saith  the  Lord,  except  it  be  b}- 
law,  even  as  I  and  my  Father  ordained  unto  you  before  the 
world  was?  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  I  give  unto 
you  this  commandment,  that  no  man  shall  come  unto  the  Father 
but  by  me,  or  by  my  word  which  is  my  law,  saith  the  Lord; 
and  everything  that  is  in  the  world,  whether  it  be  ordained  of 
men,  by  thrones,  or  principalties,  or  powers,  or  things  of  name, 
whatever  they  may  be,  that  are  not  by  me  or  my  worc^  saith 
the  Lord,  shall  be  thrown  down  and  shall  not  stand  after  men 
are  dead,  neither  in  nor  after  the  resurrection,  saith  the  Lord 
your  God;  for  whatsoever  things  remaineth  are  by  me;  and 
whatsoever  things  are  not  by  me  shall  be  shaken  and  destroyed.  " 

This  will  do  for  one  mess,  so  we  pause. 
120 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-ONE. 

In  section  third  of  this  blasphemous  document,  as  the 
careful  reader  will  observe,  there  is  a  justification  of  that 
vSentiment  in  Mormonism,  which  manifested  itself  from  the 
beginning  of  their  career,  that  the  earth  and  the  fulness  thereof 
belonged  to  the  "SAINTS,"  JURE  DIVING;  that,  hence,  they  had 
a  right  to  appropriate  to  their  own  use  anything  among  the 
GENTILES  that  they  might  desire,  even  to  a  Gentile's  wife. 
It  was  a  sufficient  justification  just  to  conclude  that  "the  Lord 
needed  such."  This  sentiment  in  its  legitimate  bearing  has 
been  amply  exemplified  in  the  work  of  the  Danite  bands  and 
the  "Mountain  Meadow  Massacre. "  It  was  this  sentiment  that 
involved  them  in  troubles  in  Missouri,  in  Illinois,  and  in  Utah, 
which  could  only  be  checked  by  the  strong  arm  of  the 
government  of  the  United  States.  The  constitution  and  laws  of 
the  United  States  guarantee  to  all  of  its  citizens  inalienable 
rights  in  the  pursuit  of  happiness,  and  liberty  of  conscience, 
and  pledges  protection  to  person  and  property. 

But,  be  it  understood,  no  contract,  or  pledge  by  any 
legislative  enactment,  by  any  principality  or  power  whatever  is 
of  any  binding  force,  unless  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit;  and,  be 
it  understood,  that  seal  cannot  be  affixed  except  by  the  hand  of 
Joseph  Smith!  Therefore,  O  ye  saints,  fear  not,  for  no  deed, 
bond,  or  vow  that  simply  has  the  seal  of  accursed  Gentile  powers 
is  to  be  regarded  by  the  saints.  Hence,  know  ye,  O  ye  people 
of  the  faith  of  Nephi,  that  neither  in  the  resurrection,  nor  after 
the  resurrection,  will  there  be  penal ty  for  disregarding  what  the 
Gentiles  call  their  rights!  But 

"4.  Therefore,  if  any  man  marry  him  a  wife  in  the  world, 
and  he  marry  her  not  by  me,  nor  by  my  word;  and  he  covenant 

121 


with  her  so  long  as  he  is  in  the  world,  and  she  with  him,  their 
covenant  and  marriage  is  not  in  force  when  they  are  dead  and 
when  they  are  out  of  the  world;  therefore,  when  they  are  out  of 
the  world  they  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  are 
appointed  angels  in  heaven,  which  angels  are  ministering  ser- 
vants, to  minister  for  those  who  are  worthy  of  a  far  more  and  an 
exceeding  and  an  eternal  weight  of  glory;  for  these  angels  did 
not  abide  my  law,  therefore  they  cannot  be  enlarged,  but  remain 
separately  and  singly,  without  exaltation  in  their  saved 
condition,  to  all  eternity,  and  from  henceforth  are  not  gods,  but 
are  angels  of  God  forever  and  ever.  " 

If  any  marry  without  the  approval  of  him  who  holds  the 
key  of  power  over  all  contracts,  of  course,  Joseph  Smith  and 
his  successors,  their  marriage  will  not  be  valid  in  the  next 
world.  They  cannot  be  enlarged,  for  even  the  wife  they  had 
here  will  be  given  to  some  faithful  saint,  who  honored  this  new 
and  everlasting  covenant.  The  disobedient  that  get  to  heaven 
will  be  doomed  to  a  bachelor's  life.  Yea,  worse,  they  will  only 
be  servants  to  help  take  care  of  true  Mormon's  wives  and 
children.  Too  bad.  Such  can  never  aspire  to  the  position  of  a 
god.  The  thoughtful  reader  can  see  in  this  the  foundation  of 
the  Adam  God  theory,  as  held  by  the  parent  Mormon  church. 
That  theory  is  that  Adam  is  the  only  God  that  we  have  to  do 
with  !  Adam  as  our  God  came  to  earth  and  took  to  himself  the 
virgin  Mary  as  a  spiritual  wife,  and  by  virtue  of  that  union 
Jesus  was  born  !  !  But  hear: 

"5.  And  again,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  marry  a 
wife,  and  make  a  covenant  with  her  for  time  and  for  all  eternity, 
if  that  covenant  is  not  by  me  or  by  my  word,  which  is  my  law, 
and  is  not  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  through  him 
whom  I  have  anointed  and  appointed  unto  this  power,  then  it 
is  not  valid,  neither  of  course  when  they  are  out  of  the  world, 
because  they  are  not  joined  by  me,  saith  the  Lord,  neither  by 
my  word;  when  they  are  out  of  the  world,  it  cannot  be  received 
there,  because  the  angels  and  the  gods  are  appointed  there,  by 


ivhom  they  cannot  pass,  they  cannot  therefore,  inherit  my  glory, 
for  my  house  is  a  house  of  order,  saith  the  Lord  God. " 

A  man  may  be  ever  so  earnest,  faithful  and  true  to  the 
marriage  vows  here,  and  covenant  with  his  wife  to  be  her 
husband  in  eternity,  and  she  may  covenant  to  cleave  to  him 
through  all  eternity,  but  they  not  being  married  according  to 
the  new  and  everlasting  covenant  dedicated  by  Jo.  Smith,  their 
contract  will  be  void.  That  man  can  never  be  exalted  but  will 
have  to  take  his  position  among  the  servants  without.  His 
wife,  of  course  will  have  another  chance.  By  becoming  ,the 
spiritual  wife  of  some  faithful  Mormon  she  can  pass,  and  inherit 
eternal  glory  !  !  To  talk  about  the  inspiration  of  the  author  of 
such  God-dishonoring  stuff  is  enough  to  make  the  demons  of 
hell  hang  their  heads  in  shame,  if  there  could  be  shame  in  the 
infernal  regions  ! 

"6.  And  again,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  marry  a 
wife  by  my  word,  which  is  my  law,  and  by  the  new  and  ever- 
lasting covenant,  and  it  is  sealed  unto  them  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
promise,  by  him  who  is  anointed,  unto  whom  I  have  appointed 
this  power,  and  the  keys  of  this  priesthood;  and  it  shall  be  said 
unto  them,  ye  shall  come  forth  in  the  first  resurrection,  and  if 
it  be  after  the  first  resurrection,  in  the  next  resurrection,  and 
shall  inherit  thrones,  kingdoms,  principalities,  and  powers, 
dominions,  all  heights  and  depths — then  shall  it  be  written  in 
the  Lamb's  book  of  life,  that  he  shall  commit  no  murder  whereby 
to  shed  innocent  blood,  and  if  ye  abide  in  my  covenant,  and 
commit  no  murder,  whereby  to  shed  innocent  blood,  it  shall  be 
done  unto  them  in  all  things  whatsoever  my  servant  hath  put 
upon  them,  in  time  and  through  all  eternity,  and  shall  be  of 
full  force  when  they  are  out  of  the  world;  and  they  shall  pass  by 
the  angels  and  the  gods,  which  are  set  there,  to  their  exaltation 
and  glory,  in  all  things,  as  hath  been  sealed  upon  their  heads, 
which  glory  shall  be  a  fulness  and  a  continuation  of  the  seeds 
forever  and  ever. ' ' 

One  would  conclude  that  the  spirit  by  which  Smith  was 
123 


inspired  had  marrying  on  the  brain.  We  are,  however,  in  this 
copious  revelation,  given  an  insight  into  the  Mormon  heaven, 
and  the  importance  of  the  Mormon  priesthood.  Their  heaven  is 
a  place  with  an  inner  and  outer  court.  The  inner  court  is  the 
place  of  eternal  joys,  the  fulness  of  which  will  consist  in 
associations  in  the  celestial  marriage  relation,  and  in  the 
propogation  of  their  seeds,  and  thus  increasing  the  number  in 
the  families  of  the  god!  !  This  place  will  be  guarded  by 
Mormons  who  have  developed  into  gods  and  higher  angels. 
By  these  none  can  pass  except  those  who  have  honored  the 
new  and  everlasting  covenant,  as  it  is  revealed  in  this  revelation. 
The  key  of  the  priesthood,  we  are  assured,  is  especially  designed 
to  govern  this  covenant. 

"7.  Then  shall  they  be  gods,  because  they  have  no  end; 
therefore  shall  they  be  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  because 
they  continue;  then  shall  they  be  above  all,  because  all  things 
are  subject  unto  them.  Then  shall  they  be  gods,  because  they 
have  all  power,  and  the  angels  are  subject  unto  them. 

"8.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  abide  my 
law,  ye  cannot  attain  to  this  glory;  for  strait  is  the  gate  and 
narrow  the  W7ay  that  leadeth  unto  the  exaltation  and  continuation 
of  the  lives,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it,  because  ye  receive  me 
not  in  the  world,  neither  do  ye  know  me.  But  if  ye  receive 
me  in  the  world,  then  ye  shall  know  me,  and  shall  receive  your 
exaltation,  that  where  I  am,  ye  shall  be  also.  This  is  eternal 
lives,  to  know  the  only  wise  and  true  God  and  Jesus  Christ 
whom  he  hath  sent.  I  am  He.  Receive  ye,  therefore,  my  law. 
Broad  is  the  gate  and  wide  is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  the  death ; 
and  many  there  are  that  go  in  thereat;  because  they  receive  me 
not,  neither  do  they  abide  in  my  law. 

"9.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  marry  a  wife 
according  to  my  word,  and  they  are  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
promise,  according  to  mine  appointment,  and  he  or  she  shall 
commit  any  sin  or  transgression  of  the  new  and  everlasting 
covenant  whatever,  and  all  manner  of  blasphemies,  and  if  they 

124 


commit  no  murder,  wherein  they  shed  innocent  blood — yet  they 
shall  come  forth  in  the  first  resurrection,  and  enter  into  their 
exaltation;  but  they  shall  be  destroyed  in  the  flesh,  and  shall  be 
delivered  unto  the  buffetings  of  Satan  unto  the  day  of 
redemption,  saith  the  Lord  God." 

Such  a  law  as  this  might  well  be  dictated  by  the  inspiration 
of  one  who  was  himself  a  vile  blasphemer.  Gentile  blood,  in 
the  eyes  of  Mormon  inspiration,  and  as  intimated  in  the  next 
section  of  this  vile  document,  is  not  innocent  blood.  "Innocent 
blood"  is  the  blood  of  faithful  "saints." 

"10.  The  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  shall 
not  be  forgiven  in  the  world,  nor  out  of  the  we  rid  is  in  that  ye 
commit  murder,  whereby  ye  shed  innocent  blood,  and  assent  unto 
my  death  after  ye  have  received  my  new  and  everlasting  covenant 
saith  the  Lord  God;  and  he  that  abideth  not  this  law  can  in  no  wise 
enter  into  my  glory,  but  shall  be  damned  saith  the  Lord.  " 

This  shows  that  the  "innocent  blood"  is,  as  we  suggested, 
the  blood  of  "Saints. "  In  shedding  that,  hence,  "Ye  assent 
unto  my  death. "  This  is,  of  course,  upon  the  principle  that, 
"In  as  much  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these 
my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me."  This  justifies  all 
such  as  the  Mountain  Meadow  Massacre!  The  blood  of  those 
women  and  children  was  not  innocent  blood,  for  they  were  not 
in  "the  new  and  everlasting  covenant.  "  !  The  language  of  this 
section  informs  us  that  this  unpardonable  sin  is  in  shedding  inno- 
cent blood  after  receiving  this  covenant.  Before  that,  hence,  one 
is  not  liable  to  such  sin.  Mormons  who  are  conscientiously  op- 
posed to  polygamy  can  get  a  bit  of  comfort  here.  This  however,  is 
over  balanced  by  the  fact  that  all  are  to  be  damned  who  reject  this 
covenant.  There  is  no  consolation  in  Mormonism  except  what 
is  to  found  in  '  'celestial  marriage. ' ' 

"ii.  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God  and  will  give  unto  thee  the 
law  of  my  Holy  Priesthood,  as  was  ordained  by  me  and  my 
Father  before  the  world  was.  Abraham  received  all  things, 
whatsoever  he  received  by  revelation  and  commandment,  by 

125 


my  word  saith  the  Lord,  and    hath   entered  into  his  exaltation, 
and  sitteth  upon  his  throne. 

"12.  Abraham  received  promise  concerning  his  seed,  and 
the  fruit  of  his  loins — from  whose  loins  ye  are,  namely,  my 
servant  Joseph — which  were  to  continue  so  long  as  they  were  in 
in  the  world;  and  as  touching  Abraham  and  his  seed,  out  of  the 
world  they  should  continue;  both  in  the  world  and  out  of  the 
world  they  shall  continue  as  innumerable  as  the  stars;  or,  if  ye 
were  to  count  the  sand  upon  the  seashore,  ye  could  not  number 
them.  This  promise  is  yours,  also,  because  ye  are  of  Abraham, 
and  the  promise  was  made  unto  Abraham;  and  by  this  law  are 
the  continuation  of  the  works  of  my  Father,  wherein  he 
glorifieth  himself.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  do  the  works  of 
Abraham;  enter  ye  into  my  law,  and  ye  shall  be  saved.  But  if 
ye  enter  not  into  my  law  ye  cannot  receive  the  promise  of  my 
Father,  which  he  made  unto  Abraham. " 

These  sections  introduce  to  us  the  gist  of  this  revelation, 
and  show  from  whence  Smith 's  inspiration  came  !  Abraham 's 
righteous  work  consisted  in  his  concubinage,  and  Smith  is  clearly 
commanded  to  enter  into  Abraham's  works,  and  by  so  doing  is  to 
enter  into  his  exaltation,  as  Abraham  did  into  his.  If  there  was 
nothing  else  in  Mormonism  to  corroborate  the  fact,  this  one  rev- 
elation is  enough  to  demonstrate  that  the  whole  thing  is  of  the 
devil!  Do  Mormons  allow  themselves  to  think,  or  do  they  pride 
in  being  humbugged?  ! 


126 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-TWO. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  notice  all  the  absurdities  and  false- 
hoods in  this  REVELATION,  but  just  enongh  to  see  the  true 
inwardness  of  the  thing.  We  notice,  however,  that  "my 
servant,  Joseph, "  is  of  the  descendants  of  Abraham.  Such  is 
the  Book  of  Mormon.  He  was  of  the  tribe  of  Joseph,  and 
Joseph  was  to  be  his  name.  B.  of  M.,  52:  18,  19,  20.  He  was 
to  be  of  the  descendants  of  Lehi,  53:  25.  "My  servant,  Joseph, " 
was,  hence,  a  Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews,  of  the  tribe  of  Joseph, 
and  of  the  family  of  Lehi — no  amalgamated  concern,  but  reg- 
istered stock.  But  the  Nephites  were  annihilated.  Joseph  was, 
hence,  of  the  Lamanites.  This  is  so,  or  the  Book  of  Mormon  is 
false.  To  make  its  claims  good  Mormon  inspiration  must  tell 
us  of  which  tribe  of  Indians  Joseph  was?  And,  not  only  tell 
us,  but  demonstrate  the  fact.  He  must  be,  as  said,  registered 
stock — a  FULL  blood. 

"13.  God  commanded  Abraham,  and  Sarah  gave  Hagar  to 
Abraham  to  wife.  And  why  did  she  do  it?  Because  this  was 
the  law,  and  from  Hagar  sprang  many  people.  This,  therefore, 
fulfilling  among  other  things,  the  promise.  Was  Abraham, 
therefore,  under  condemnation?  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  nay; 
for  I  the  Lord  commanded  it.  Abraham  was  commanded  to 
offer  his  son  Isaac,  nevertheless,  it  is  written,  thou  shalt  not 
kill.  Abraham,  however,  did  not  refuse,  and  it  was  accounted 
to  him  for  righteousness. 

"14.  Abraham  received  concubines,  and  they  bare  him 
children,  and  it  was  accounted  unto  him  for  righteousness, 
because  they  were  given  unto  him,  and  he  abode  in  my  law,  as 
Isaac  also,  and  Jacob  did  none  other  things  than  they  were 
commanded,  they  have  entered  into  their  exaltation,  according  to 

127 


the  promise,  and  sit  upon  thrones,  and  are  not  angels,  but  are 
gods.  David  also  received  many  wives  and  concubines 
also  Solomon  and  Moses,  my  servants;  as  also  many  others  of 
my  servants,  from  the  beginning  of  creation  until  this  time, 
and  in  nothing  did  they  sin,  save  in  those  things  which  they 
received  not  of  me. 

'•15.  David's  wives  and  concubines  were  given  unto  him, 
of  me,  by  the  hand  of  Nathan,  my  servant,  and  others  of  the 
prophets  who  had  the  keys  of  this  power;  and  in  none  of  these 
things  did  he  sin  against  me,  save  in  the  case  of  Uriah  and  his 
wife;  and  therefore  he  hath  fallen  from  his  exaltation  and 
received  his  portion;  and  he  shall  not  inherit  them  out  of  the 
world;  for  I  gave  them  unto  another  saith  the  Lord. 

"i 6.  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  I  give  unto  thee,  my 
servant  Joseph,  an  appointment,  and  restore  all  things;  ask 
what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you  according  to  my 
word;  and  as  ye  have  asked  concerning  adultery — verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  receive  a  wife  in  the  new  and  ever- 
lasting covenant,  and  if  she  be  with  another  man,  and  I  have 
not  appointed  unto  her  by  the  holy  anointing,  she  hath 
committed  adultery,  and  shall  be  destroyed.  If  she  be  with 
another  man,  she  has  committed  adulty;  and  if  her  husband  be 
with  another  woman,  and  he  was  under  a  vow  he  has  broken 
his  vow  and  hath  committed  adultery,  and  if  she  hath  not 
committed  adultery,  but  knoweth  it  and  I  reveal  it  unto  you 
my  servant  Joseph,  then  shall  you  have  power,  by  the  power  of 
my  holy  pristhood,  to  take  her,  and  give  her  unto  him  that 
hath  not  committed  adultery,  but  hath  been  faithful;  for  he 
shall  be  ruler  over  many;  for  I  have  conferred  upon  you  the 
keys  and  power  of  the  priesthood,  wherein  I  restore  all  things, 
and  make  known  unto  you  all  things  in  due  time." 

The  punishment  inflicted  upon  David  for  his  great  sin  in 
the  case  of  Uriah  was,  his  wives  and  concubines  were  taken 
from  him  and  given  to  another.  Hence,  being  alone  he  could 
not  be  exalted.  What  a  punishment  it  must  have  been  for 

128 


David  to  stand  aside,  and  see  others  blessed  with  wives  and 
concubines;  passing,  hence,  to  their  exaltation — to  have,  hence, 
eternal  joys,  which  will  consist  in  the  propagation  of  their 
seeds;  to  be  hence,  gods  ruling  over  many.  What  an 
important  matter  the  Mormon  priesthood  is,  for  they  have  the 
key  of  this  power.  It  is  theirs  to  decide  in  matters  of  adultery 
— to  take  women  from  unworth}r  men  and  give  them  to  worthj- 
ones — to  decide,  hence,  who,  and  who  shall  not  be  exalted.  For 
be  it  remembered,  their  seal  is  the  seal  of  heaven. 

"17.  And  verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that  whatsoever 
you  seal  on  earth  shall  be  sealed  in  heaven;  whatsoever  you 
bind  on  earth,  in  my  name,  and  by  my  word  saith  the  Lord,  it 
shall  be  eternall}'  bound  in  the  heavens,  and  whatsoever  sins 
you  remit  on  earth,  shall  be  remitted  eternally  in  the  heavens; 
and  whosesoever  sins  you  retain  on  earth,  shall  be  retained  in 
heaven. 

1 8.  And  again,  verily  I  say,  whomsoever  you  bless,  I  will 
bless,  and  whomsoever  you  curse,  I  will  curse,  saith  the  Lord; 
for  I  the  Lord,  am  thy  God.  And  again,  verily  I  say  unto  }rou, 
my  servant  Joseph,  that  whatsoever  you  give  on  earth,  and  to 
whomsoever  you  give  any  one  on  earth,  by  my  word,  and 
according  to  my  law,  it  shall  be  visited  with  blessings  and  not 
cursings,  and  with  my  power  saith  the  Lord,  and  shall  be 
without  condemnation  on  earth,  and  in  heaven;  for  I  am  the 
Lord  thy  God,  and  will  be  with  thee  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world,  and  through  all  eternity;  for  verily  I  seal  upon  you  your 
exaltation,  and  prepare  a  throne  for  you  in  the  kingdom  of  my 
Father,  with  Abraham  your  father.  Behold,  I  have  seen  your 
sascrifices,  and  will  forgive  all  your  sins;  I  have  seen  your 
sacrifices  in  obedience  to  that  which  I  have  told  you;  go,  there- 
fore, and  I  make  a  way  for  your  escape,  as  I  accepted  the 
offering  of  Abraham,  of  his  son  Isaac. 

20.  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  a  commandment  I  give  unto 
1113-  handmSid  Emma  Smith,  your  wife,  whom  I  have  given 
unto  you,  that  she  stay  herself  and  partake  not  of  that  which  I 

129 


you  to  offer  unto  her;  for  I  did  it,  saith  the  Lord,  to 
prove  you  all,  as  I  did  Abraham;  and  that  I  might  require  an 
offering  at  your  hand,  by  my  covenant  and  sacrifice;  and  let 
mine  handmaid,  Emma  Smith,  receive  all  those  that  have  been 
given  unto  my  servant  Joseph,  and  who  are  virtuous  and  pure 
before  me;  and  those  who  are  not  pure,  and  have  said  they  were 
pure,  shall  be  destroyed,  saith  the  Lord  God;  for  I  am  the  Lord 
thy  God,  and  ye  shall  obey  my  voice;  and  I  give  unto  my 
servant  Joseph,  that  he  shall  be  made  ruler  over  many  things, 
for  he  hath  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  and  from  hence- 
forth I  will  strengthen  him. 

21.  And  I  command  my  handmaid,  Emma  Smith,  to  abide 
and  cleave  unto  my  servant  Joseph,  and  to  none  else.  But  if 
she  will  not  abide  this  commandment,  she  shall  be  destroyed, 
saith  the  Lord;  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  will  destroy  her, 
if  she  abide  not  in  my  law;  but  if  she  will  not  abide  this 
commandment,  then  shall  my  servant  Joseph  do  all  things  for 
her,  even  as  he  hath  said;  and  I  will  bless  him  and  multiply 
him,  and  give  unto  him  an  hundred  fold  in  this  world,  of 
fathers  and  mothers,  brothers  and  sisters,  houses  and  lands, 
wives  and  children,  and  crowns  of  eternal  lives  in  the  eternal 
worlds.  And  again,  verily  I  say,  let  mine  handmaid  forgive 
my  servant  Joseph  his  trespasses;  and  then  shall  she  be 
forgiven  her  trespasses,  wherein  she. hath  trespassed  against  me 
and  I,  the  Lord  thy  God  will  bless  her,  and  multiply  her,  and 
make  her  heart  to  rejoice. " 

The  reader  will  remember  what  we  said  about  INNOCENT 
BLOOD  and  notice  that  should  Emma  Smith  refuse  to  abide  this 
polygamous  document,  "my  servant  Joseph"  would  be  justified 
in  destroying  her!  In  that  event  no  innocent  blood  would  be 
shed!  How  easy  the  transition  from  this  to  that  abominable 
doctrine  of  "blood  atonement."  Indeed,  the  foundation  for 
that  doctrine  is  laid  broad  and  deep. 

"22.  And  again,  I  say,  let  not  my  servant  put  his  propert}' 
out  of  his  hands,  lest  an  enemy  come  and  destroy  him,  for 

130 


Satan  seeketh  to  destroy;  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  he  is 
my  servant;  and  behold!  and  lo,  I  am  with  him  as  I  was  with 
Abraham,  thy  father,  even  unto  his  exaltation  and  glory. 

23.  Now,  as  touching  the  law-  of  the  priesthood,    there  are 
many  things  pertaining  hereunto.     Verily,    if  a   man  be  called 
of  my  Father,  as   was   Aaron,    by    mine   own  voice,  and  by  the 
voice  of  him  that  sent   me;  and  I    have  endowed   him  with  the 
keys  of  the  power  of' this  priesthood,  if  he  do   anything   in   my 
name,  and  according  to  my  law,   and  by    my   word,  he  will  not 
commit  sin,  and  I  will  justify  him.     Let  no  one    therefore,    set 
on  my  servant  Joseph;  for  I  will  justify  him;  for  he  shall  do  the 
sacrifice  wrhich  I  require   at   his  hands,  for   his   transgressions, 
saith  the  Lord  your  God. 

24.  And  again,  as  pertaining  to  the  law  of  the  priesthood; 
If  any  man  espouse  a  virgin,  and  desire  to  espouse  another,  and 
the  first  give  her  consent;  and  he  espouse  the  second,  and   they 
are  virgins  and  have  vowed  to  no  other  man,  then  he  is  justified, 
he  cannot  commit  adultery,  for  they  are  given  unto  him;  for  he 
cannot  commit  adultery  with  that  that  belongeth  unto  him  and 
to  no  one  else;  and  if  he  have  ten  virgins  given  unto  him  by  this 
law,  he  cannot  commit  adultery,  for  they  beong  to  him  and  they 
are   given   unto   him,    therefore   he   is  justified.     But  if  one  or 
either  of  the  ten  virgins,  after   she   is   espoused,    shall  be  with 
another  man,  she  has  committed  adultery,  and  shall  be  destroyed; 
for  they  are  given  unto  him  to, multiply  and  replenish  the  earth, 
according  to  my  commandment  and  to  fulfill  the  promise  which 
was  given  by  my  Father  before  the  foundation  of  the  world;  and 
for  their  exaltation  in   the   eternal   worlds,  that   they  may  bear 
the  souls  of  men;  for  herein  is  the  work  of  my  Father  continued, 
that  he  may  be  glorified. 

25.  And  again,  verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  if   any   man 
have  a  wife  who  holds  the    keys  of   this   power,  and  he  teaches 
unto  her  the  law  of  my  priesthood  as  pertaining  to  these  things, 
then  shall  she  believe,  aud  administer  unto  him,  or  she  shall  be 
destroyed,  saith  the  Lord  your  God;  for  I  will  destroy  her;  for  I 


will  magnify  my  name  upon  all  those  who  receive  and  abide  in 
my  law.  Therefore  it  shall  be  lawful  in  me,  if  she  receive  not 
this  law,  for  him  to  receive  all  things  whatsoever  I,  the  Lord  his 
God,  will  give  unto  him,  because  she  did  not  minister  unto  him 
according  to  my  word;  and  she  then  becomes  the  transgressor; 
and  he  is  exempt  from  the  law  of  Sarah,  who  administered  unto 
Abraham  according  to  the  law,  when  I  commanded  Abraham  to 
take  Hagar  to  wife.  And  now,  as  pertaining  unto  this  law, 
verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  reveal  more  unto  you  here- 
after; therefore  let  this  suffice  for  the  present.  Behold,  I  am 
Alpha  and  Omega.  Amen." — Millenial  Star,  Jan.  1853. 

Gentle  reader,  you  now  have  the  vile,  blasphemous 
document  in  full,  and  I  am  sure  that  all  whose  eyes  are  not 
beclouded  by  the  mists  from  the  infernal  regions,  will  bear  me 
out  in  the  conclusion,  that  a  more  vile,  sickening,  blasphemous 
God-dishonoring  and  soul-destroying  and  woman-degrading 
document  could  not  have  been  penned.  The  question,  was 
Joseph  Smith,  the  Mormon  prophet,  the  author  of  that  document, 
next  demands  our  attention.  If  he  was,  he  must  be  viewed  as 
one  of  the  most  vile,  lying  blasphemers,  that  ever  lived  on  earth. 


132 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-THREE. 

It  was,  we  may  safely  say,  an  admitted  fact,  that  Joseph 
Smith,  the  reputed  prophet,  was  the  author  of  celestial  marriage, 
or  in  other  words,  polygamy  as  practiced  by  the  Utah  Mormons, 
until  it  was  denied  by  what  is  known  as  the  Reorganized 
Church.  It  will,  it  must  be  admitted,  that  if  the  Mormon 
prophet  was  the  author  of  the  polygamous  revelation  that  we 
have  given,  he  was  the  real  author  of  that  practice,  and  was 
himself  in  such  practice  when  that  document  was  written,  for 
there  is  in  it  a  labored  effort  to  justify  "My  servant  Joseph"  in 
such  practice.  If  Smith  was  the  author  of  that  document,  it 
follows,  as  a  consequence,  that  polygamy  is  a  legitimate  tenet 
of  and  belongs  to  genuine  Mormonism.  Such  being  the  case 
polygamy  rests  upon  the  same  foundation  that  the  Book  of 
Mormon  does,  and  is  sustained  by  the  same  inspiration.  Such 
being  so,  Mormonism  and  polygamy  must  stand  or  fall  together. 
One  cannot  hold  to  the  one  and  reject  the  other.  President 
Joseph  Smith,  son  of  the  prophet,  and  president  of  the 
Reorganized  Church,  makes  an  effort  to  account  for  the  origin  of 
polygamy;  and  of  course,  does  the  best  that  can  be  done  on  the 
negative  of  the  question  now  before  us.  He  says: 

"I  believe  that  during  the  last  years  of  my  father's  life 
there  was  a  discussion  among  the  elders,  and  possibly  in 
practice,  a  theory  like  the  following:  that  persons  who  might 
believe  that  there  was  a  sufficient  degree  of  spiritual  affinity 
between  them  as  married  companions  to  warrant  the  desire  to 
perpetuate  that  union  in  the  world  to  come  and  after  the 
resurrection,  could  go  before  some  high  priest  whom  they 
might  choose,  and  there  making  known  their  desire,  might  be 
MARRIED  for  eternity,  pledging  themselves  while  in  the  flesh 
unto  each  other  for  the  observance  of  the  rights  of  companion- 

133 


ship  in  the  spirit:  that  this  was  called  spiritual  marriage,  and 
upon  the  supposition  that  what  was  sealed  by  this  priesthood, 
before  which  this  pledge  was  made  on  earth,  was  sealed  in 
heaven,  the  marriage  relation  then  entered  into  would  continue 
in  eternity.  That  this  was  not  authorized  by  command  of  God 
or  rule  of  the  church;  but  grew  out  of  the  constant  discussion 
had  among  the  elders,  and  that  after  a  time  it  resulted  in  the 
wish  (father  to  the  thought)  that  married  companionship 
rendered  unpleasant  here  by  incompatablilities  of  different  sorts, 
might  be  cured  for  the  world  to  come,  by  securing  through  this 
means  a  congenial  companion  in  the  spirit;  that  there  was  but 
brief  hesitancy  between  the  wish  and  an  attempt  to  put  it  in 
form  and  practice.  That  once  started,  the  idea  grew;  spiritual 
affinities  were  sought  after,  and  in  seeking  them  the  hitherto 
sacred  precints  of  home  were  invaded;  less  and  less  restraint 
was  exercised;  the  lines  between  virtue  and  license,  hitherto 
sharply  drawn,  grew  more  and  more  indistinct;  spiritual 
companionship  if  sanctioned  by  a  holy  priesthood,  to  confer 
favors  and  pleasures  in  the  world  to  come,  might  be  antedated 
and  put  to  actual  test  here — and  so  the  enjoyment  of  a  spiritual 
companionship  in  eternity  became  a  companionship  here;  a 
wife  a  spiritual  wife,  if  congenial;  if  not,  one  that  was  congenial 
was  sought,  and  a  wife  in  fact  was  supplemented  by  one  in 
.spirit,  which  in  easy  transition  became  in  essential  earthly 
relationship.  From  this,  if  one,  why  not  two  or  more,  and 
plural  marriage  or  plurality  of  wives,  was  the  growth." 

Why  should  there  have  been  much  discussion  among 
Mormon  officials,  in  the  incipiency  of  that  system,  upon  the 
subject  of  SPIRITUAL  MARRIAGE?  "From  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mouth  speaks. "  That  about  which  officials  are 
MUCHLY  concerned  they  talk  much,  gives  the  secret  of  this 
discussion.  Christ  put  the  Sadducees  to  silence  when  they 
came  to  him  with  the  question,  'Whose  wife  shall  she  be  in  the 
"resurrection?"  But  neither  the  wisdom  nor  authority  of 
heaven  can  silence  a  self -constituted  modern  priesthood.  If  these 

134 


officials  in  Nauvoo  had  consulted  the  Savior's  answer  to  the 
Sadducees'  question,  and  had  any  respect  for  the  great  Teacher 
they  \vould  not  have  been  concerned  about  a  wife  in  eternit}*! 
President  Smith  further  says: 

'  "That  which  in  life  they  (Joseph  and  Hiram  Smith)  were 
powerless  to  prevent,  rapidly  took  the  successive  forms  hereto- 
fore stated  and  polygamy,  after  eight  years  of  further  fostering 
in  secret,  rose  in  terrible  malignity  to  essay  the  destruction  of 
the  church.  That  my  father  may  have  been  a  party  to  the  first 
step  in  this  strange  development,  I  am  perhaps  prepared  to 
admit,  though  the  evidence  connecting  him  with  it  is  vague 
and  uncertain;  but  that  he  was  in  any  otherwise  responsible  for 
plural  marriage,  plurality  of  wives,  or  polygamy,  I  do  not 
know,  nor  are  the  evidences  so  far  produced  to  me  conclusive  to 
force  my  belief."  Tullige,  pp.  798,  799,  800. 

Mr.  Smith  was  very  confident  of  his  ability  to  vindicate 
his  father's  character  so  far  as  polygamy  was  concerned,  and  in 
this  confidence -he  provoked  a  controversy  with  the  Utah  branch 
of  the  Mormon  family.  The  evidence  on  the  other  side  will  be 
given.  We  are  willing,  however,  for  our  readers  to  hear  the 
best  that  can  be  said  in  Smith's  defense.  As  published  in  The 
Saint's  Herald,  Lamoni,  Iowa,  Elder  William  Marks,  a  stanch 
member  of  the  Reorganized  church,  says: 

"About  the  first  of  June,  1844,  situated  as  I  was  at  that 
time,  being  the  Presiding  Elder  of  the  stake  at  Nauvoo,  and  by 
appointment,  the  presiding  officer  .of  the  High  Council ,  I  had  a 
very  good  opportunity  to  know  the  affairs  of  the  church,  and 
my  convictions  at  that  time  were  that  the  church,  in  a  great 
measure  had  departed  from  the  pure  principles  and  doctrine  of 
Jesus  Christ.  I  felt  much  troubled  in  mind  about  the  condition 
of  the  church.  I  prayed  earnestly  to  my  heavenly  Father  to 
show  me  something  in  regard  to  it,  when  I  was  wrapped  in 
vision  and  it  was  shown  me  by  the  Spirit  that  the  top  or 
Branches  had  overcome  the  root  in  SIN  AND  WICKEDNESS,  and 
that  the  only  way  to  cleanse  and  purify  it  was  to  disorganize  it 

135 


and  in  due  time  the  Lord  would  reorganize  it  again.  There 
were  many  other  things  suggested  to  my  mind,  but  the  lapse  of 
time  has  erased  them  from  my  memory. " 

Mr.  Marks  saw,  in  his  vision,  just  what  he  was  grieving 
over.  These  officials  that  were  so  much  concerned  about 
CONGENIAL  WIVES  FOR  ETERNITY  had  OVERCOME  the  member- 
ship IN  SIN  AND  WICKEDNESS!  Tell  me,  gentle  reader,  what 
are  we  to  think  of  the  inspiration  of  such  a  set  of  men?  ! 
These  officials,  by  their  corruption,  were  smothering  whatever 
good  there  might  be  in  the  body.  All  this  was  under  the 
superintendence  of  the  prophet  of  Mormonism,  whose  inspiration 
we  are  asked  to  accept  and  honor — asked  to  believe  that  God 
left  the  throne  of  the  universe,  took  his  son  from  the 
mediatorial  throne,  and  brought  him  to  earth  just  to  introduce 
him  to  the  one  that  was  at  the  head  of  this  corruption  !  !  Now, 
under  the  supervision  of  this  man,  that  institution  he  was 
especially  chosen  to  establish  was  so  corrupt  that  the  Lord 
concluded  he  would  have  to  destroy  the  concern  and  try  it 
again!  !  Marks  further  says: 

"A  few  days  after  this  occurrence  I  met  with  Bro.  Joseph. 
He  said  that  he  wanted  to  converse  with  me  on  the  affairs  of 
the  church,  and  we  retired  to  ourselves.  I  will  give  his  words 
verbatim,  for  they  were  indelibly  stamped  upon  my  mind.  He 
said  that  he  had  desired  for  a  long  time  to  talk  with  me  on  THE 
SUBJECT  OP  POLYGAMY.  He  said  it  would  eventually  prove  the 
overthrow  of  the  church,  and  we  would  have  to  leave  the  United 
Stated  unless  it  could  be  speedily  put  down. " 

This  conversation  was  in  1844.  For  a  LONG  TIME,  we  are 
told,  Smith  had  been  wanting  to  talk  with  Marks  on  the  subject 
of  polygamy.  For  A  LONG  TIME,  therefore,  polygamy  had 
been  on  hand  in  Nauvoo,  and  the  Mormon  prophet  was  aware 
of  the  fact.  At  that  time  it  had  such  a  hold  on  THE  CHURCH 
that  Smith  was  alarmed,  for  fear  they  would  have  to  leave  the 
United  States!  How  came  polygamy  there?  Smith  could  get 
revelations  whenever  he  called  for  them.  Why  could  he  not 

136 


get  one  that  would  have  stopped  such  practice?  Instead  of 
seeking  such  he  was  discussing  spiritual  wifery!  Why  should 
Smith  have  been  alarmed  for  fear  they  would  have  to  leave  the 
United  States?  It  had  been  revealed  to  him,  if  we  credit 
Mormon  inspiration,  that  he  was  to  build  God's  Zion — the  New 
Jerusalem  here.  B.  of  M.  p.  468:  3-6.  Mormon  inspiration  is  a 
queer  something,  anyway.  We  can  prove  by  it  that 
the  militia  of  Missouri  and  Illinois  were  the  power  of  God. 
When  they  were  to  begin  to  build  their  Zion,  under  the  directions 
of  the  promised  seer,  the  power  of  God  was  to  come  upon  them. 
Under  the  directions  of  Joseph  they  began  to  build  at 
Independence,  Mo.  But  the  Missouri  militia  came  upon  them. 
Therefore  the  Missouri  militia  was  the  power  of  God. 

Under  the  directions  of  Joseph  they  began  to  build  at 
Nauvoo,  Illinois.  But  the  Illinois  militia  came  upon  them. 
Therefore  the  Illinois  militia  was  the  power  of  God. 

The  testimony  of  Smith  and  Marks  shows  that  polygamy 
had  been  practiced  for  a  LONG  TIME  previous  to  the  time  of  their 
conversation. 

When  the  charter  of  Nauvoo  was  drafted,  under  the  super- 
vision of  Smith,  Gen.  Bennett  objected  to  certain  clauses  as 
being  too  strong.  Smith  replied: 

We  must  have  that  power  in  our  courts,  for  this  work  will 
gather  of  all  mankind;  the  Turk,  with  his  ten  wives,  will  come 
to  Nauvoo,  and  we  must  have  laws  to  protect  him  with  these 
wives.  Budle,  p.  72. 

Ebenezer  Robinson,  at  one  time  editor  of  the  Times  and 
Seasons,  the  official  church  organ  at  Nauvoo,  and  an  especial 
confident  of  Smith's,  being  opposed  to  polygamy,  united  with 
the  Reorganized  church,  in  which  he  lived  and  died.  Being 
intimately  acquainted  with  the  condition  of  affairs  in  Nauvoo, 
he  considered  it  his  duty,  in  behalf  of  truth  to  make  a  statement 
of  facts.  This  he  and  his  wife  did.  That  statement  was  as 
follows: 

137 


"To  whom  it  may  concern: 

We,  Ebenezer  Robinson  and  Angeline  Robinson,  husband 
and  wife,  hereby  certify  that  in  the  fall  of  1843  Hiram  Smith, 
brother  of  Joseph  Smith,  came  to  our  house  at  Nauvoo,  Illinois, 
and  taught  us  the  doctrine  of  polygamy.  And  I,  the  said 
Ebenezer  Robinson,  hereby  further  state  that  he  gave  me  special 
instructions  how  I  could  manage  the  matter  so  as  not  to  have  it 
known  to  the  public.  He  also  said  that  while  he  had  heretofore 
opposed  the  doctrine,  he  was  wrong  and  his  brother  Joseph  was 
right,  referring  to  his  teaching  it.  Ebenezer  Robinson. 

Angeline  Robinson. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me  this  2gth  day  of 
December,  1873.  [L.  s.]  James  Sallee,  Notary  Public.  " 

Soon  after  this  affidavit  was  filed  Mrs.  Robinson  died.  Mr. 
Robinson  being  questioned  with  regard  to  the  matter,  filed  the 
following: 

"To  whom  it  may  concern: 

This  is  to  certify  that  in  the  latter  part  of  November,  or  in 
December,  1843,  Hiram  Smith  (brother  of  Joseph  Smith,  Presi- 
.  dent  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints)  came  to 
my  house  in  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  and  taught  me  the  doctrine  of 
spiritual  wives,  or  polygamy.  He  said  he  heard  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  give  the  revelation  on  spiritual  wifery  (polygamy)  to  his 
brother  Joseph,  and  that  while  he  had  heretofore  opposed  the 
doctrine,  he  was  wrong,  and  his  brother  Joseph  was  right  all  the 
the  time.  He  told  me  to  make  a  selection  of  some  young  woman 
and  he  would  send  her  to  me,  and  take  her  to  my  home  and  if  she 
should  have  an  heir,  to  give  out  word  that  she  had  a  husband 
who  had  gone  on  a  mission  to  a  foreign  country.  He  seemed 
disappointed  when  I  declined  to  do  so.  E.  Robinson. 

Davis  City,  Iowa,  Oct.  23,   1885. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me,  a  Notary  Public  in  and 
for  Decatur  County,  Iowa,  this  24th  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1885. 

[L.  S.]  Z.  H.  Gurley,  Notary  Public." 

These    affidavits    are    recorded    in    the    Biographical  and 

138 


Historical  records  of  Ringold  and  Decatur  counties,  Iowa,  pp. 
543,  544.  These  founders  of  Mormonism  had  room  to  fear  the 
United  States  and  it  is  well  that  there  was  an  earthly  power 
they  had  to  fear  for  it  is  evident  that  they  did  not  have  the  fear 
of  God  before  their  eyes.  In  the  fact  that  the  earth  did  not 
open  and  let  Nauvoo  sink  into  the  pit.  nor  the  Lord  cause  fire 
and  brimstone  to  be  poured  upon  it,  gives  a  demonstration  that 
miraculous  times  are  past.  It  does  seem  strange  that  such 
wretches  could  make  any  pretence  to  fear  God,  or  regard  man. 


139 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-FOUR. 

The  testimony  that  we  have  given  from  members  of  the 
Reorganized  church  demonstrates  the  fact  that  Joseph  Smith 
was  a  polygamist.  We  purpose,  however,  to  place  this  matter 
in  such  clear  light  that  it  can  never  be  doubted  by  any  who 
desire  the  truth.  In  a  discourse  delivered  by  Brigham  Young 
in  Salt  Lake  City,  Aug.  29,  1852,  he  said: 

"You  heard  Brother  Pratt  state  this  morning  that  a 
revelation  would  be  read  this  afternoon,  which  was  given 
previous  to  Joseph's  death  .  .  .  The  original  copy  of  this 
revelation  was  burned  up.  William  Clayton  was  the  man  who 
wrote  it  from  the  mouth  of  the  prophet.  In  the  meantime  it 
was  in  Bishop  Whitney's  possession.  He  wished  the  privilege  of 
copying  it,  which  Brother  Joseph  granted.  Sister  Emma  burnt 
the  original  .  .  .  This  revelation  has  been  in  my  possession 
many  years;  and  who  has  known  it?  I  keep  a  patent  lock  on 
my  desk,  and  there  does  not  anything  leak  out  that  should  not." 
Tullige,  pp.  565,  566. 

Joseph  having  shown  by  his  conduct  that  he  was  determined, 
on  his  own  part,  to  carry  out  the  principles  of  that  polygamous 
document  to  their  fullest  import,  WTilliam  and  Wilson  Law,  one 
a  Major-General,  the  other  a  member  of  the  First  Presidency, 
the  highest  quorum  in  the  church,  together  with  the  Higbees, 
Fosters  and  others,  determined  to  expose  the  corruption  of 
Smith  and  his  associates.  In  order  to  this  they  started  a  paper 
called  the  Nauvoo  Expositor.  Of  this  enterprise  Tullige,  p.  476, 
says: 

"These  sought  to  establish  in  Nauvoo  an  incendiary  paper 
called  the  Nauvoo  Expositor,  the  avowed  purpose  of  which 
was  to  stir  up  the  people  of  Illinois  to  bring  Joseph  Smith  to 

140 


justice  for  his  crimes  and  to  expel  the  saints  from  the  State.  It 
was  like  building  the  magazine  of  the  enemy  in  the  city  of 
Refuge;  and  also  after  the  first  number  of  the  EXPOSITOR  the 
city  council  declared  the  paper  a  public  nuisance  and  dangerous 
to  the  peace  of  the  commonwealth;  and  they  thereupon  ordered 
the  office  of  the  paper  to  be  demolished  by  the  marshal  and  his 
posse. ' ' 

This  shows  the  moral  character  of  the  spirit  by  which  the 
Mormon  prophet  was  inspired!  Why  did  not  those  leaders 
challenge  an  open  investigation?  Smith's  course  in  this  matter 
showed  that  he  was  possessed  of  the  spirit  of  an  unprincipled 
tyrant;  and  could  he  have  had  his  way  there  would  have  been 
an  end  to  free  speech  and  liberty  of  the  press.  The  Mormon 
prophet  showed  that  he  was  possessed  of  the  same  spirit  and 
made  of  the  same  material  of  the  Mohammedan  prophet.  The 
following  shows  the  true  spirit  of  this  modern  prophet. 

"In  the  winter-  of  1843-1844."  says  Governor  Ford,  of 
Illinois,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  with  Smith  and  his 
associates,  "the  Common  Council  passed  some  other  ordinance 
to  protect  their  leaders  from  arrest,  on  demand  from  Missouri. 
They  enacted  that  no  writ  issued  from  any  other  place  than 
Nauvoo,  for  the  arrest  of  any  person  in  it,  should  be  executed  in 
the  city,  without  an  approval  thereon  endorsed  by  the  Mayor; 
that  if  any  public  officer  by  virtue  of  any  foreign  writ,  should 
attempt  to  make  any  arrest  in  the  city  without  such  approval  of 
his  process,  he  should  be  subject  to  imprisonment  for  life,  and 
that  the  Governor  of  the  State  should  not  have  the  power  of 
pardoning  the  offender  without  the  consent  of  the  Mayor. " 

Remember,  gentle  reader,  Joseph  Smith  was  the  MAYOR. 
This  gives  an  insight  to  the  spirit  of  the  man.  He  purposed  to 
place  himself  above  all  civil  authority,  and  live  as  he  pleased  in 
defiance  of  all  civil  law!  He  was  then  living  in  adultery — 
practicing  polygamy  in  defiance  of  all  civil  law,  in  opposition 
to  all  principles  of  virtue  and  morality.  He  did  not  propose 
that  his  licentious  course  should  be  interfered  with.  The  first 

141 


number  of  the  NAUVOO  EXPOSITOR  contained  affidavits  from 
General  Bennett  and  others,  certifying  that  Smith  was  practicing 
polygamy.  Smith  decreed  that  the  paper  and  press  should  be 
destroyed  and  it  was  done!  But,  says  Governor  Ford: 

"To  crown  the  whole  folly  of  the  Mormons,  in  the  spring 
of  1844,  Joe  Smith  announced  himself  as  a  candidate  for 
the  president  of  the  United  States.  His  followers  were  confident 
that  he  would  be  elected.  Two  or  three  thousand  missionaries 
were  immediately  sent  out  to  preach  their  religion  and  to 
electioneer  in  favor  of  their  prophet  for  the  •  Presidency." 
Beadle,  p.  72. 

Again: 

"The  Mormons  openly  denounced  the  government  of  the 
United  States  as  utterly  corrupt  and  as  being  about  to  pass 
away,  and  be  replaced  by  the  government  of  God,  to  be 
administered  by  his  servant  Joseph.  It  is  at  this  day  certain 
also,  that  about  this  time  the  prophet  re-instituted  an  order  in 
the  Church  called  the  'Danite  band. '  These  were  to  be  a  body 
of  police  and  guards  about  the  person  of  their  sovereign  who 
were  sworn  to  obey  his  orders  as  the  orders  of  God  himself. 
Soon  after  these  institutions  were  established,  Joe  Smith  began  to 
play  the  tyrant  over  several  of  his  followers.  The  first  act  of  this 
sort  which  excited  attention,  was  an  attempt  to  take  the  wife  of 
William  Law,  one  of  his  most  talented  and  principal  disciples, 
and  make  her  a  spiritual  wife.  "  Beadle,  p.  92. 

The  Governor  further  says: 

"It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  pretended  prophet 
practiced  the  tricks  of  a  common  imposter;  that  he  was  a  dark 
and  gloomy  person  with  a  long  beard,  a  grave  and  severe  aspect, 
and  a  reserved  and  saintly  carriage  of  his  person;  on  the 
contrary  he  was  full  of  levity,  even  to  boyish  romping;  dressed 
like  a  dandy,  and  at  times  drank  like  a  sailor  and  swore  like  a 
pirate."  Beadle,  p.  114. 

The  Manuscript  History  of  Joseph  Smith,  as  written  by 
himself,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Mormon  leaders,  and  was 

142 


taken  to  Salt  Lake.  After  the  controversy  between  L.  O. 
Littlefield  of  Utah,  and  Joseph  Smith,  of  Lamoni,  Iowa,  Little- 
field  pulished  a  tract  entitled,  "Celestial  Marriage;  Positive 
Proof  that  Joseph  Smith  Had  Plural  Wives."  In  that  tract 
Mr.  Littlefield  says: 

"In  the  History  of  Joseph  Smith,  under  date  of  October  5, 
1843,  can  De  found  the  following:  'Gave  instructions  to  try 
those  persons  who  were  preaching,  teaching  or  practicing  the 
doctrine  of  plural  wives;  for  according  to  the  law  I  hold  the 
keys  of  this  power  in  the  last  days;  for  there  is  never  but  one 
on  earth  at  a  time  on  whom  the  power  and  its  keys  are  conferred, 
and  I  have  constantly  said  that  no  man  shall  have  but  one  wife 
at  a  time  unless  the  Lord  direct  otherwise. '  ' ' 

Of  course,  we  are  to  understand  that  when  Joe  Smith 
gave  permission  for  a  man  to  have  a  plurality  of  wives  it  was 
the  Lord  "directing  otherwise."  For,  of  what  benefit  were  the 
"keys  of  this  power, "  without  permission  to  use  them.  The 
polygamy,  hence,  that  was  practiced  in  Nauvoo,  was  by 
direction  of  Joe  Smith.  By  what  law  did  Smith  hold  the  keys 
of  this  power?  BY  THE  LAW  EMBODIED  IN  THE  POLYGAMOUS 
REVELATION  !  In  this  we  have  the  testimony  of  Smith  that 
polygamy  was  practiced  by  his  approval,  and  that,  hence,  he 
was  the  author  of  the  polygamous  revelation.  The  keys  of  that 
power  placed  Smith  over  the  entire  marrying  business.  Gov- 
ernor Ford  says: 

"By  means  of  his  Common  Council  without  the  authority 
of  law,  he  established  a  recorder's  office  in  Nauvoo  in  which 
alone  the  titles  of  property  could  be  recorded.  In  the  same 
manner  and  with  the  same  want  of  legal  authority  he  established 
an  office  for  issuing  marriage  license  to  Mormons,  so  as  to  give 
him  absolute  control  of  the  marrying  propensities  of  his  people. ' ' 
Beadle,  p.  92. 

The  reader  will  remember  the  requirement  in  the  polygamous 
document,  that  "My  servant  Joseph"  keep  his  property  in  his 
own  hands.  Why  this?  No  bond,  deed,  record,  enactment, 

143 


or  contract  in  any  court  or  office  of  the  Gentiles- is  of  any  force  ! 
As  we  have  said,  Smith  was  determined  to  carry  out  the 
principles  of  that  polygamous  document  to  their  fullest  import. 

In  the  true  spirit  of  Mohammed,  Smith  ignored  all  law, 
placed  himself  above  all  authority  and  could  he  have  had  his 
way  there  would  have  been  an  end  to  liberty  in  America. 

We  now  give  the  testimony  of  David  Fulmer,  a  member  of 
the  High  Council  in  Nauvoo  as  given  in  Littlefield's  tract. 

"Territory  of  Utah,     \ 

County  of  Salt  Lake,  j 

Be  it  remembered  that  on  this  fifteenth  day  of  June,  A.  D. 
1869,  personally  appeared  before  me,  James  Jack,  a  notary 
public  in  and  for  said  county,  David  Fulmer.  who  was  by  me 
sworn  in  due  form  of  law  and  upon  his  oath  saith,  that  on  or  about 
the  twelfth  day  of  August,  A.  D.  1843,  while  in  meeting  with  the 
High  Council,  (he  being  a  member  thereof),  in  Hiram  Smith's 
brick  office,  in  the  city  of  Nauvoo,  county  of  Hancock,  State  of 
Illinois,  Dunbar  Wilson  made  inquiry  in  relation  to  the  subject 
of  a  plurality  of  wives,  as  there,  were  rumors  about  respecting 
it,  and  he  was  satisfied  there  was  something  in  those  remarks 
and  he  wanted  to  know  what  it  was,  upon  which  Hiram  Smith 
stepped  across  the  road  to  his  residence,  and  soon  returned 
bringing  with  him  a  copy  of  the  revelation  on  celestial  marriage, 
given  to  Joseph  Smith,  July  12,  A.  D.  1843,  and  read  the  same 
to  the  High  Council,  and  bore  testimony  of  its  truth.  The  said 
David  Fulmer  further  saith  that  to  the  best  of  his  memory  and 
belief,  the  following  named  persons  were  present:  Wm.  Marks, 
Austin  A.  Cowles,  Samuel  Bent,  Geo.  W.  Harris,  Dunbar 
Wilson,  Wm.  Huntington,  Levi  Jackman,  Aaron  Johnson, 
Thomas  Grover,  David  Fulmer,  Phineas  Richards,  James 
Allread  and  Leonard  Soby.  And  the  said  David  Fulmer  further 
saith  that  Wm.  Marks,  Austin  A.  Cowles  and  Leonard  Soby 
were  the  only  persons  present  who  did  not  receive  the  testimony 
of  Hiram  Smith,  and  that  all  the  others  did  receive  it  from  the 
testimony  of  the  said  Hiram  Smith.  And  further,  that  the  copy 
of  said  revelation  on  Celestial  Marriage,  published  in  the  Desert 

H4 


News  extra  of  September  fourteenth,  A.  D.  1852,  is  a  true  copy 
of  the  vSame. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  by  the  said  David  Fulmer  the  day 
and  year  first  above  mentioned. 

James  Jack,  Notary  Public. 

Extract  from  a  letter  written  by  Thomas  Grover: 

"The  High  Council,  of  Nauvoo,  were  called  together  by  the 
prophet  Joseph  Smith,  to  know  whether  they  would  accept  the 
revelation  on  celestial  marriage  or  not, 

The  presidency  of  the  stake.  Win.  Marks,  Father  Coles, 
and  the  late  Apostle,  Charles  C.  Rich,  were  there  present  .  .  . 
Brother  Hiram  Smith  was  called  upon  to  read  the  revelation, 
He  did  so,  and  after  reading  it  said:  'Now,  you  that  believe 
this  revelation  and  go  forth  and  obey  the  same  shall  be  saved, 
and  you  that  reject  it  shall  be  damned.'  " 


CHAPTER  TWENTY-FIVE. 

As  positive  proof  that  Joseph  Smith  had  plural  wives  the 
following  testimonies  were  given: 

"I,  Lovina  Walker,  hereby  certify  that  while  I  was  living 
with  Aunt  Emma  Smith,  in  Fulton  City,  Fulton  county,  Illinois, 
in  the  year  1849,  sne  told  me  that  she,  Emma  Smith,  was 
present,  and  witnessed  the  marriage  or  sealing  of  Eliza  Part- 
rige,  Emily  Partrige,  Maria  Lawrence,  and  Sarah  Lawrence  to 
her  husband  Joseph  Smith,  and  that  she  gave  her  consent 
thereto.  Lovina  Walker. ' ' 

We  hereby  witness  that  Lovina  Walker  made  and  signed  the 
above  statement  on  the  1 6th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1869,  of  her 
own  free  wrill  and  accord.  Hyrum  Walker. 

Sarah  E.  Smith. 
Jos.  F.  Smith." 

Territory  of  Utah,        } 

County  of  Salt  Lake.  } 

Be  it  remembered  that  on  this  first  day  of  May,  A.  D.  1869, 
personally  appeared  before  me,  Elias  Smith,  Judge  of  Probate 
for  said  county,  Emily  Dow  Partrige  Young,  who  was  by  me 
sworn  in  due  form  of  law,  and  upon  her  oath  saith  on  the  nth 
day  of  May,  A.  D.  1843,  at  the  city  of  Nauvoo,  county  of 
Hancock,  state  of  Illinois,  she  was  married  or  sealed  to  Joseph 
Smith,  President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day 
Saints,  by  James  Adams,  a  High  Priest  in  said  church  according 
to  the  law  of  the  same  regulating  marriage,  in  the  presence  of 
Emma  (Hale)  Smith  and  Eliza  Maria  Partrige  (Lyman). 

Emily  D.  P.  Young. 

Subscribed  and  .sworn  to  by  the  said  Emily  D.  P.  Young, 
the  day  and  year  first  above  written. 

E.  Smith,  Probate  Judge.  " 
146 


"State  of  New  Jersey, 
County  of  Burlington. 

Be  it  remembered  that  on  this  fourteenth  day  of  November, 
A.  D.  1883,  personally  appeared  before  me,  J.  W.  Roberts,  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  county  and  state  aforesaid,  Leonard  Soby, 
who  was  by  me  sworn  in  due  form  of  law,  and  upon  oath  saith, 
that  on  or  about  the  i2th  day  of  August,  1843,  i°  the  city  of 
Nauvoo,  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  in  the  county  of  Hancock,  before 
the  High  Council  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day 
Saints,  of  which  body  and  Council  aforesaid  he  was  a  member, 
personally  appeared  one  Hyrum  Smith,  of  the  first  presidency 
of  said  church,  and  brother  to  Joseph  Smith,  the  president  and 
prophet  of  the  same  and  presented  to  said  council 
the  revelation  on  pol}-gamy,  enjoining  its  observance  and 
declaring  it  came  from  God;  unto  which  a  large  majority  of  the 
council  agreed  and  assented,  believing  it  to  be  of  a  celestial 
order,  though  no  vote  was  taken  upon  it,  for  the  reason  that  the 
voice  of  the  prophet  in  such  matters,  was  understood  by  us  to 
be  the  voice  of  God  to  the  church,  and  that  said  revelation  was 
presented  to  said  council  as  before  stated,  as  coming  from 
Joseph  Smith,  the  prophet  of  the  Lord,  and  was  received  by  us 
as  other  revelations  had  been.  The  said  Leonard  Sob}*  further 
saith  that  Elder  Austin  A.  Cowles,  a  member  of  the  High 
Council  aforesaid,  did,  subsequently  to  the  i2th  day  of  August, 
1843,  openly  declare  against  said  revelation  on  polygamy,  and 
the  doctrines  therein  contained.  Subscribed  and  sworn  to  by 
the  said  Leonard  Soby,  the  day  and  year  first  above  written. 
Joshua  W.  Roberts,  Justice  of  Peace." 
"Salt  Lake  City,  January  31,  1886. 

A.  M.  Musser,  Dear  Brother: — Having  noticed  in  the 
Deseret  News  an  enquiry  for  testimony  concerning  the  revelation 
on  plural  marriage,  and  having  read  the  testimony  of  Brother 
Grover,  it  came  to  my  mind  that  perhaps  it  would  be  right  for 
me  to  add  my  testimony  to  his  on  the  subject  of  Brother  Hyrum 
reading  it  in  the  High  Council. 

147 


I  well  remember  the  circumstances.  I  remember  he  told 
me  he  had  read  it  to  the  brethren  in  his  office.  He  put  it  into 
my  hands  and  left  it  with  me  for  several  days.  I  had  been 
sealed  to  him  by  Brother  Joseph  a  few  weeks  previously,  and 
was  well  acquainted  with  almost  every  member  of  the  High 
Council,  and  know  Brother  Grover's  testimony  to  be  correct. 
Now  if  this  testimony  would  be  of  any  use  to  such  as  are  weak 
in  the  faith  or  tempted  to  doubt,  I  should  be  very  thankful. 
Please-  make  use  of  this  in  any  way  you  think  best,  as  well  as 
the  copy  of  the  letter  addressed  to  Joseph  Smith  at  Lamoni. 
Your  sister  in  the  gospel,  Mercy  R.  Thompson.  " 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  letter  referred  to  in  the 
above  communication: 

"Salt  Lake  City,  Sept.  5,  1886. 

Mr.  Joseph  Smith,  Lamoni,  Iowa,  Dear  Sir: — After  having 
asked  my  Father  in  heaven  to  help  me,  I  sit  down  to  write  a 
few  lines  as  dictated  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  After  reading  the 
correspondence  between  you  and  L.  O.  Littlefield,  I  concluded 
it  was  the  duty  of  some  one  to  bear  a  testimony  which  could 
not  be  disputed. 

Finding  from  your  letters  to  Littlefield  that  no  one  of  your 
Father's  friends  had  performed  this  duty  while  you  were  here, 
now  I  will  begin  at  once  and  tell  you  my  experience. 

My  beloved  husband  R.  B.  Thompson,  your  father's  private 
secretary  to  the  end  of  his  mortal  life,  died  August  27,  1841. 
(I  presume  you  well  remember  him.)  Nearly  two  years  after  his 
death  your  father  told  me  that  my  husband  had  appeared  to 
him  several  times,  telling  him  that  he  did  not  wish  me  to 
request  your  Uncle  Hyrum  to  have  me  sealed  to  him  for  life. 

Hyrtmi  communicated  this  to  his  wife  (my  sister),  who  by 
request  opened  the  subject  to  me,  when  everything  within  me 
rose  in  opposition  to  such  a  step;  but  when  your  father  called 
and  explained  the  subject  to  me  I  dared  not  refuse  to  obey  the 
counsel,  lest  preadventure  I  should  be  found  fighting  against 
God,  and  especially  when  he  told  me  the  last  time  my  husband 

148 


appeared  to  him  he  came  with  such  power  that  it  made  him 
tremble.  He  then  inquired  of  the  Lord  what  he  should  do; 
the  answer  was,  "Go  and  do  as  my  servant  hath  required.' 

He  then  took  all  opportunity  to  communicate  this  to  your 
uncle  Hyruni,  who  told  me  that  the  Holy  Spirit  rested  upon 
him  from  the  crown  of  his  head  to  the  soles  of  his  feet.  The 
time  was  appointed,  with  the  consent  of  all  parties,  and  your 
father  sealed  me  to  your  Uncle  Hyrum  for  time  in  my  sister's 
room  with  a  covenant  to  deliver  me  up  in  the  morning  of  the 
resurrection  to  Robert  Blaskell  Thompson  with  whatever 
offspring  should  be  the  result  of  the  union,  at  the  same  time 
counselling  your  uncle  to  build  a  room  for  me  and  move  me 
over  as  soon  as  convenient,  which  he  did,  and  I  re- 
mained there  as  a  wife  the  same  as  my  sister  to  the  day  of  his 
death.  All  this  I  am  ready  to  testify  to  in  the  presence  of  God, 
angels  and  men.  Now  I  assure  you  I  have  not  been  prompted 
or  dictated  by  any  mortal  living  in  writing  to  you;  neither  does 
a  living  soul  know  it  but  my  invalid  daughter.  God  bless  you, 
is  the  sincere  prayer  of  your  true  friend,  Mercy  R.  Thompson. 

P.  S. — If  you  feel  disposed  to  ask  me  any  questions,  I  will 
be  pleased  to  answer  concerning  blessings  \vhich  I  received 
under  the  hands  of  your  late  mother,  by  the  direction  of  your 
father.  M.  R.  T.  " 

Gentle  readers,  you  now  have  an  insight  into  the  inner 
temple  of  Monnonism.  The  stench  is  sickening.  The  view 
shocks  our  moral  sensibilities.  Our  task  has  not  been  a  pleas- 
ant one,  but  has  been  performed  as  a  matter  of  duty — a  duty 
performed  in  behalf  of  truth.  If  a  proposition  can  be  estab- 
lished by  the  force  of  testimony  the  Mormon  prophet  was  a 
polygamist,  and  one  of  the  most  corrupt  imposters  that  ever 
lived  on  earth.  He  was  the  author  of  that  God  dishonoring, 
heaven-defying,  soul-destroying,  moral-corrupting,  woman- 
degrading  and  heathenish  document,  called  '  'The  Revelation  on 
Celestial  Marriage,"  every  sentiment  and  principle  of  which  is 
void  of  moral  principle,  and,  hence,  heathenish  and  degrading. 

149 


To  connect  the  name  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  with  such  and 
make  him  responsible  for  it  places  its  author  among  the  most 
vile  and  lying  blasphemers  that  ever  lived  on  earth.  The 
testimony  of  Mrs.  Thompson  bears  the  impress  of  truth, 
breathes  the  spirit  of  sincerity,  and  shows  a  conscientiousness 
upon  the  part  of  the  writer.  Poor  woman.  One  can  have  no 
feeling  toward  her  but  one  of  pity,  such  as  we  would  have  for 
any  conscientious;  deluded  mortal.  But  how  different  the  case 
of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith,  who  persued  the  course  they  did  in 
order  to  accomplish  their  fiendish  purpose!  Joseph,  the 
prophet  is  converted  into  a  veritable  witch  of  Endor,  and  has 
several  visits  from  the  unseen  world,  the  Lord  gives  instructions 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  overwhelms  the  prophet's  brother.  All 
this  in  order  to  one  end.  In  order  to  what  end  was  all  this 
co-operation  of  heaven  and  hades  with  these  two  Mormon 
officials?  To  gratify  the  lusts  of  Hyrum  Smith!  !  !  We  need 
not  however,  express  surprise  at  this;  for  be  it  remembered, 
Joseph  Smith  was  called,  commissioned  and  inspired  to  restore 
the  FULNESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  The  revelation  on  celestial 
marriage  is  the  key  to  that  fulness.  It  was  to  consist  in 
RESTORING  ALL  THINGS.  And,  so  certain  as  there  is  meaning 
in  language,  that  restoration  was  to  consist  in  RESTORING  TO 
THE  "SAINTS"  the  right  exercised  by  David  and  Solomon,  that 
is,  the  right  of  taking  to  themselves  a  plurality  of  wives  and 
concubines!  That  same  key  of  knowledge  gives  us  to  nnder- 
stand  that  exaltation  in  the  next  world  depends  upon  a  faithful 
practice  of  this  right.  All  hence,  who  oppose  this  right  are  to 
be  damned. 

Such  are  the  moral  principles  that  underlie  the  Mormon 
system.  Those  principles  must  be  accepted  by  all  who  accept 
Joseph  Smith,  for  he  was  the  oracle  of  that  system.  If  we 
accept  Smith  as  one  called  and  sent  of  God  to  reveal  and 
establish  that  system  we  must  accept  the  system  as  he  gave  it. 
As  we  have  seen,  however,  the  polygamous  REVELATION 
embodies  the  true  principles  of  the  Mormon  system.  It  follows, 

150 


hence,  that  the  pol3'gamous  Utah  church  is  the  true  Mormon 
church.  All  others,  hence,  are  apostates,  with  the  condemna- 
tion of  Smith's  inspiration  resting. upon  them.  If,  therefore. 
Smith  was  inspired  of  God  the  anathemas  of  heaven  rest  upon 
all  who  reject  polygamy.  Such  being  true  the  New  Testament 
is  false  from  beginning  to  end.  It  is,  hence,  a  matter  of  choice 
between  Christianity  and  Mormonism,  between  Jesus  the  Christ 
and  Joseph  Smith. 

The  lessons  we  have  learned  demonstrate  the  fact  that 
there  is  no  safety  for  any  soul  except  in  a  strict  adherence  to 
the  doctrine  of  Jesus-  Christ.  Jesus  made  no  mistakes.  He 
was  God  manifest  in  the  flesh.  His  teaching  was  the  teaching 
of  God.  God  is  perfection,  and  his  teaching  is  perfection, 
designed  to  perfect  all  who  will  accept  and  abide  in  it.  In  that 
teaching  we  have  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  "All  things 
that  the  Father  hath  are  mine,"  said  Jesus.  "All  things  that 
I  have  heard  of  my  Father  I  have  made  known  unto  you,"  said 
Jesus  to  his  apostles.  In  Christ  we  have  all  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge.  Hence,  "In  Him  dwells  all  the 
fullness  of  the  Godhead  bodily.  "  When,  therefore,  we  need 
something  beyoud  God's  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge, 
and  something  in  addition  to  the  fulness  of  the  God  and  Christ 
of  the  Bible,  we  will  need  an  additional  revelation  to  what  we 
have  in  the  New  Testament.  When  humanity  needs  an 
additional  Christ  in  order  to  salvation  they  will  need  an 
additional  institution  to  the  New  Testament  church  in  order  to 
enable  the  people  of  God  to  work  out  their  salvation.  And 
when  the  people  of  God  need  something  in  addition  to  the 
infinite  wisdom  of  God,  they  will  need  addititional  rules  and 
regulations  to  those  given  in  the  New  Testament,  in  order  to 
glorify  God. 

To  all  who  enquire  for  the  way  of  salvation  God  commands 
them  to  hear  his  Son.  Christ  sa3*s,  I  am  the  way,  the  truth  and 
the  life. "  If  any  would  know  the  way  of  life  as  it  is  revealed  in 
the  truth  of  God.  "Go  to  my  apostles,  "  says  Christ. 


